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Batiacasphaera obohikuenobeae
Batiacasphaera obohikuenobeae Sluijs and Brinkhuis, 2024, p. 452.
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Orginal description: [Sluijs and Brinkhuis, 2024, p. 452]:
Batiacasphaera obohikuenobeae sp. nov.
Plates 1, S3, S4, S39
Derivation of name. Named for Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe, in recognition of her achievements in marine palynology, Missouri State University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA.
Diagnosis. A small, spherical, and thin-walled gonyaulacoid cyst with an autophragm only. The cyst surface appears completely smooth to psilate, to incidentally microgranulate under light microscopy. SEM analyses show a micrometerscale reticulate surface (see Plate S39). Tabulation is only apparent from the archeopyle, which is formed by the release of all the apical paraplates (tA, compound) and is distinctly
angular. The paraplates reflecting 2’ and 3’ are much larger than 1’ and 4’. The operculum is usually detached, but sometimes plate 1’ remains attached to the anterior sulcal plate.
Holotype. Plate 1, A–C
Paratypes. Plate 1, D–F, G–H
Material. IODP 302 Hole M0004A, Lomonosov Ridge, Arctic Ocean
Type locality and horizon. IODP 302 Hole M0004A,
Lomonosov Ridge, Arctic Ocean, lower Eocene Core 302-
0004A-27X-03-04 cm.
Age. Early Eocene
Description.
Shape: (sub)spherical.
Wall relationships: autophragm only.
Wall features: appears completely smooth to psilate, to incidentally microgranulate under light microscopy. SEM analyses show a micrometer-scale reticulate surface.
Processes: absent.
Paratabulation: indicated by archeopyle only.
Archeopyle: formed by the release of all the apical paraplates (tA, compound); distinctly angular. The paraplates reflecting 2’ and 3’ are much larger than 1’ and 4’. The operculum is usually detached, but sometimes plate 1’ remains attached to the anterior sulcal plate.
Paracingulum: indeterminable.
Parasulcus: indeterminable.
Dimensions. Diameter 18–25 µm (n = 10).
Holotype. 22 µm.
Paratypes. 23 µm.
Stratigraphic range/occurrence. Early Eocene
Remarks. In our material, we locally encountered numerous small, round, thin-walled, colorless, psilate to microgranulate gonyaulacoid cysts with an apical archeopyle, which
must be included in the genus Batiacasphaera. Using light
microscopy, the apical archeopyle is often folded in such a
way that it strongly resembled a Type 3I, but SEM micrography confirmed type TA. The species resembles representatives of Batiacasphaera often encountered in Neogene open
-ocean sediments, such as B. micropapillata, B. minuta, and
B. sphaerica, but it differs in its extremely small size and its
general lack of ornamentation when viewed using light microscopy
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orginal description: [Sluijs and Brinkhuis, 2024, p. 452]:
Batiacasphaera obohikuenobeae sp. nov.
Plates 1, S3, S4, S39
Derivation of name. Named for Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe, in recognition of her achievements in marine palynology, Missouri State University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA.
Diagnosis. A small, spherical, and thin-walled gonyaulacoid cyst with an autophragm only. The cyst surface appears completely smooth to psilate, to incidentally microgranulate under light microscopy. SEM analyses show a micrometerscale reticulate surface (see Plate S39). Tabulation is only apparent from the archeopyle, which is formed by the release of all the apical paraplates (tA, compound) and is distinctly
angular. The paraplates reflecting 2’ and 3’ are much larger than 1’ and 4’. The operculum is usually detached, but sometimes plate 1’ remains attached to the anterior sulcal plate.
Holotype. Plate 1, A–C
Paratypes. Plate 1, D–F, G–H
Material. IODP 302 Hole M0004A, Lomonosov Ridge, Arctic Ocean
Type locality and horizon. IODP 302 Hole M0004A,
Lomonosov Ridge, Arctic Ocean, lower Eocene Core 302-
0004A-27X-03-04 cm.
Age. Early Eocene
Description.
Shape: (sub)spherical.
Wall relationships: autophragm only.
Wall features: appears completely smooth to psilate, to incidentally microgranulate under light microscopy. SEM analyses show a micrometer-scale reticulate surface.
Processes: absent.
Paratabulation: indicated by archeopyle only.
Archeopyle: formed by the release of all the apical paraplates (tA, compound); distinctly angular. The paraplates reflecting 2’ and 3’ are much larger than 1’ and 4’. The operculum is usually detached, but sometimes plate 1’ remains attached to the anterior sulcal plate.
Paracingulum: indeterminable.
Parasulcus: indeterminable.
Dimensions. Diameter 18–25 µm (n = 10).
Holotype. 22 µm.
Paratypes. 23 µm.
Stratigraphic range/occurrence. Early Eocene
Remarks. In our material, we locally encountered numerous small, round, thin-walled, colorless, psilate to microgranulate gonyaulacoid cysts with an apical archeopyle, which
must be included in the genus Batiacasphaera. Using light
microscopy, the apical archeopyle is often folded in such a
way that it strongly resembled a Type 3I, but SEM micrography confirmed type TA. The species resembles representatives of Batiacasphaera often encountered in Neogene open
-ocean sediments, such as B. micropapillata, B. minuta, and
B. sphaerica, but it differs in its extremely small size and its
general lack of ornamentation when viewed using light microscopy