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Tectatodinium nigeriaense
From Fensome et al., 2019:
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Original description Awad and Oboh-Ikenobe, 2016:
Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. Plate III; 1-11
Holotype: ODP Hole 959D, 844.35 mbsf, sample CIG14, slide MST-1928-S1, EF G26, Early Paleocene. Plate III; 1.
Paratypes: Paratype 1. ODP Hole 959D, 844.35 mbsf, sample CIG14, slide MST-1928-S1, EF D30/3, Early Paleocene. Plate III; 2.
Paratype 2. ODP Hole 959D, 844.35 mbsf, sample CIG14, slide MST-1928-S1, EF M28/4, Early Paleocene. Plate III; 3.
Type Locality: Lower Paleocene of ODP Hole 959D, Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Transform Margin, West Africa. Lithological unit III (Shipboard Scientific Party, 1996).
Etymology: From the Latin “nigeriaense”, derived from the country of Nigeria, where this species was first observed by Jan du Chêne (1988).
Synonymy: Xeniocodinium sp. cf. X. rugulatum (Jan du Chêne, 1988) Plate 17; 1e8, and Tectatodinium rugulatum (Masure et al., 1998) plate 3; 10.
Diagnosis: A species of Tectatodinium with spongy luxuria and characterized by a thick wall, thread like projections and large size.
Description: Spherical to ovoid cyst with a slight apical protuberance, which is clearer in some specimens than others. The wall consists of an inner pedium, about 0.1 mm thick and an outer luxuria comprised of fine projecting fibrils, giving the surface a fluffy appearance. Archaeopyle is precingular, typically type P3’’. The only indications of paratabulation are the irregular margins of the archaeopyle. Operculum is free and is occasionally found within the cyst (Plate III; 7, 8).
Dimensions: Holotype: width x length: 70 85 mm, wall thickness 6 mm. Paratype 1: width x length: 60 70 mm, wall thickness 7 mm. Paratype 2: width x length: 68 70 mm, wall thickness 5 mm. Average dimensions: length: 70e98 mm, width: 60e92 mm, wall thickness: 4e8 mm. More than 500 specimens measured.
Stratigraphic range: Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. was observed in ODP Hole 959D from 817.3 mbsf to 867.6 mbsf (Early Paleocene to Late Paleocene). The stratigraphic range of the new species is relatively long in the studied interval; however, we did not observe it between 844.25 and 817.3 for some unknown reason(s). The FO is recorded from the Danian age, while the LO is observed in the early Thanetian. It has a frequent to superabundant occurrence through the Paleocene. Jan du Ch^ene (1988) recorded Xeniocodinium sp. cf. X. rugulatum in the Danian rocks of Madeleines Formation in Senegal.
Comparison: Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. differs from Tectatodinium pellitum (Wall, 1967) in its wall structure and cyst size. The wall in the new species is fluffier than that of Tectatodinium pellitum. In Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov., the cyst lookslike a piece of cotton with thread-like processes. The luxuria is comprised of very fine projections, which are difficult to recognize separately, and has a compacted appearance (Plate III; 9, 10, 11). In contrast, the luxuria of Tectatodinium pellitum is loose, open with numerous, finely interwoven fibrils that give a roughened texture to the cyst (Plate III; 12, 13). Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov., is also larger than Tectatodinium pellitum: 60e98 mm vs. 36e51 mm. Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. has an older stratigraphic range (Danian) than the FO of Tectatodinium pellitum noted in the Lower Eocene deposits of northern Germany (Fechner and Mohr, 1988; Head, 1994). An acme of Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. was recorded from the Selandian rocks in ODP Hole 959D. Furthermore, an earlier appearance of Tectatodinium pellitum was recorded in our study at the Selandian/Thanetian boundary.
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Original description Awad and Oboh-Ikenobe, 2016:
Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. Plate III; 1-11
Holotype: ODP Hole 959D, 844.35 mbsf, sample CIG14, slide MST-1928-S1, EF G26, Early Paleocene. Plate III; 1.
Paratypes: Paratype 1. ODP Hole 959D, 844.35 mbsf, sample CIG14, slide MST-1928-S1, EF D30/3, Early Paleocene. Plate III; 2.
Paratype 2. ODP Hole 959D, 844.35 mbsf, sample CIG14, slide MST-1928-S1, EF M28/4, Early Paleocene. Plate III; 3.
Type Locality: Lower Paleocene of ODP Hole 959D, Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Transform Margin, West Africa. Lithological unit III (Shipboard Scientific Party, 1996).
Etymology: From the Latin “nigeriaense”, derived from the country of Nigeria, where this species was first observed by Jan du Chêne (1988).
Synonymy: Xeniocodinium sp. cf. X. rugulatum (Jan du Chêne, 1988) Plate 17; 1e8, and Tectatodinium rugulatum (Masure et al., 1998) plate 3; 10.
Diagnosis: A species of Tectatodinium with spongy luxuria and characterized by a thick wall, thread like projections and large size.
Description: Spherical to ovoid cyst with a slight apical protuberance, which is clearer in some specimens than others. The wall consists of an inner pedium, about 0.1 mm thick and an outer luxuria comprised of fine projecting fibrils, giving the surface a fluffy appearance. Archaeopyle is precingular, typically type P3’’. The only indications of paratabulation are the irregular margins of the archaeopyle. Operculum is free and is occasionally found within the cyst (Plate III; 7, 8).
Dimensions: Holotype: width x length: 70 85 mm, wall thickness 6 mm. Paratype 1: width x length: 60 70 mm, wall thickness 7 mm. Paratype 2: width x length: 68 70 mm, wall thickness 5 mm. Average dimensions: length: 70e98 mm, width: 60e92 mm, wall thickness: 4e8 mm. More than 500 specimens measured.
Stratigraphic range: Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. was observed in ODP Hole 959D from 817.3 mbsf to 867.6 mbsf (Early Paleocene to Late Paleocene). The stratigraphic range of the new species is relatively long in the studied interval; however, we did not observe it between 844.25 and 817.3 for some unknown reason(s). The FO is recorded from the Danian age, while the LO is observed in the early Thanetian. It has a frequent to superabundant occurrence through the Paleocene. Jan du Ch^ene (1988) recorded Xeniocodinium sp. cf. X. rugulatum in the Danian rocks of Madeleines Formation in Senegal.
Comparison: Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. differs from Tectatodinium pellitum (Wall, 1967) in its wall structure and cyst size. The wall in the new species is fluffier than that of Tectatodinium pellitum. In Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov., the cyst lookslike a piece of cotton with thread-like processes. The luxuria is comprised of very fine projections, which are difficult to recognize separately, and has a compacted appearance (Plate III; 9, 10, 11). In contrast, the luxuria of Tectatodinium pellitum is loose, open with numerous, finely interwoven fibrils that give a roughened texture to the cyst (Plate III; 12, 13). Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov., is also larger than Tectatodinium pellitum: 60e98 mm vs. 36e51 mm. Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. has an older stratigraphic range (Danian) than the FO of Tectatodinium pellitum noted in the Lower Eocene deposits of northern Germany (Fechner and Mohr, 1988; Head, 1994). An acme of Tectatodinium nigeriaense sp. nov. was recorded from the Selandian rocks in ODP Hole 959D. Furthermore, an earlier appearance of Tectatodinium pellitum was recorded in our study at the Selandian/Thanetian boundary.