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Turbiosphaera archangelskyi
Plate I, 9–12; Plate IV, 5
1968 Turbiosphaera filosa auct. non Wilson, 1967; Archangelsky, pl. I, figs. 1–4
Etymology: The species is named in honour of Dr. Sergio Archangelsky for his outstanding work in palynology and palaeobotany in Argentina. Particularly, he was the first to describe specimens of the Turbiosphaera archangelskyi species complex as reported on here, attributing them to Turbiosphaera filosa.
Type occurrence: Upper Member of the Río Turbio Formation (Upper Eocene), Río Guillermo Canyon section, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.
Holotype: Plate I, 10–11, CA-1 RG11–16, EF = L57.1. BAFC-Pl, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Studied material: Upper Member Río Turbio Formation CA-1 Core RG11–16; PRA10; RG 11–10; Loreto Formation LP4.
Diagnosis: A species of Turbiosphaera characterised by intratabular to penitabular groups of taeniate processes; each group has a variable number of distally connected fibrous slender stems, which sometimes support a delicate distal membrane. The processes may also be united with each other by thin trabeculae along their lengths. Cingular processes are isolated and taeniate, but are small and rectangular. They show the typical shelf-like cingular feature characteristic of Turbiosphaera.
Description: Cysts chorate, central body subspheroidal to subovoidal, with two wall layers: a thick endophragm, and a periphragm forming intratabular to penitabular taeniate processes. Most plates have processes with a variable number of fibrous stems, some of which merge distally forming a ring (Plate I, 11, arrowed in white). The antapical process is more prominent (longer, and wider), and also taeniate. The other processes generally have a variable number of distally connected fibrous stems that sometimes support a delicate distal membrane, or they may form an external ring. The precingular and postcingular processes are generally joined to adjacent processes by thin trabecula (Plate I, 9 and 12, arrowed in black; Plate II, 7–8). Occasional slender processes are intercalated between the larger processes of both pre- and postcingular series (Plate III, 10, arrowed in white). The cingulum is marked by six isolated smaller taeniate processes that are rectangular in optical transversal section and may have distal spines. The reflected tabulation corresponds to that of the genus Turbiosphaera. Plate configuration indicates dextral torsion (Plate III, 7–9). Archaeopyle precingular, type P, formed by the loss of plate 3″; operculum subtriangular. Dimensions: Holotype. Total length 88 μm, total width 62 μm, body length 58 μm, body width 39 μm, process length up to 23 μm, process width up to 8 μm proximally and 20 μm distally. Total length 90–170 μm (18 specimens), total width 66–120 μm (18 specimens), body length 58–100 μm (18 specimens), body width 44–74 μm (18 specimens), archaeopyle maximum diameter 30–46 μm, process length 23–36 μm, process width up to 20 μm proximally and 25–30 μm distally.
Comparison: Turbiosphaera archangelskyi differs from Turbiosphaera filosa in having multiple intratabular to penitabular fibrous stems joined distally into groups to form a process complex. In contrast, Turbiosphaera filosa (as emended herein) has isolated intratabular fibrous processes.
Some process complexes may be connected to adjacent complexes by thin trabecula. In contrast Turbiosphaera filosa has relatively simple intratabular fibrous processes. Turbiosphaera sarrisii has short taeniate processes proximally joined by a membrane or along their length by membranous trabecula; isolated processes occur only in the cingular series. Turbiosphaera sagena has processes similar to those of Turbiosphaera archangelskyi, but the fibrous stems of individual process complexes are joined only distally by perforate platforms (Plate III, 12 arrowed in white). Turbiosphaera guersteiniae has characteristic fibrous process stems but the distal ends of processes are solid and lack connections.
Turbiosphaera galatea differs from Turbiosphaera archangelskyi in having an apical expansion that may resolve into individual fibrous apical processes. Turbiosphaera magnifica is like Turbiosphaera galatea but distinctly elongate. According to Eaton (1976) the processes of Turbiosphaera magnifica are arranged in three discrete groups: one involving the apical horn plus precingular processes, one with the cingular processes, and one with the antapical and postcingular processes.
This feature and the form of its apical horn distinguishes Turbiosphaera magnifica from Turbiosphaera archangelskyi. Turbiosphaera symmetrica resembles Turbiosphaera archangelskyi in having precingular processes connected to each other and to the apical processes by fibrous fenestrate membranes; the antapical and postcingular processes are similarly connected, but the species differs from Turbiosphaera archangelskyi in showing an apical boss and processes that are progressively longer from the paracingulum to the poles, and in having adjacent cingular processes connected to each other. As in Turbiosphaera magnifica, Turbiosphaera symmetrica has processes arranged in three discrete groups. Turbiosphaera proximata appears to be distinguished from other species of Turbiosphaera in having proximally connected processes.
1968 Turbiosphaera filosa auct. non Wilson, 1967; Archangelsky, pl. I, figs. 1–4
Etymology: The species is named in honour of Dr. Sergio Archangelsky for his outstanding work in palynology and palaeobotany in Argentina. Particularly, he was the first to describe specimens of the Turbiosphaera archangelskyi species complex as reported on here, attributing them to Turbiosphaera filosa.
Type occurrence: Upper Member of the Río Turbio Formation (Upper Eocene), Río Guillermo Canyon section, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.
Holotype: Plate I, 10–11, CA-1 RG11–16, EF = L57.1. BAFC-Pl, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Studied material: Upper Member Río Turbio Formation CA-1 Core RG11–16; PRA10; RG 11–10; Loreto Formation LP4.
Diagnosis: A species of Turbiosphaera characterised by intratabular to penitabular groups of taeniate processes; each group has a variable number of distally connected fibrous slender stems, which sometimes support a delicate distal membrane. The processes may also be united with each other by thin trabeculae along their lengths. Cingular processes are isolated and taeniate, but are small and rectangular. They show the typical shelf-like cingular feature characteristic of Turbiosphaera.
Description: Cysts chorate, central body subspheroidal to subovoidal, with two wall layers: a thick endophragm, and a periphragm forming intratabular to penitabular taeniate processes. Most plates have processes with a variable number of fibrous stems, some of which merge distally forming a ring (Plate I, 11, arrowed in white). The antapical process is more prominent (longer, and wider), and also taeniate. The other processes generally have a variable number of distally connected fibrous stems that sometimes support a delicate distal membrane, or they may form an external ring. The precingular and postcingular processes are generally joined to adjacent processes by thin trabecula (Plate I, 9 and 12, arrowed in black; Plate II, 7–8). Occasional slender processes are intercalated between the larger processes of both pre- and postcingular series (Plate III, 10, arrowed in white). The cingulum is marked by six isolated smaller taeniate processes that are rectangular in optical transversal section and may have distal spines. The reflected tabulation corresponds to that of the genus Turbiosphaera. Plate configuration indicates dextral torsion (Plate III, 7–9). Archaeopyle precingular, type P, formed by the loss of plate 3″; operculum subtriangular. Dimensions: Holotype. Total length 88 μm, total width 62 μm, body length 58 μm, body width 39 μm, process length up to 23 μm, process width up to 8 μm proximally and 20 μm distally. Total length 90–170 μm (18 specimens), total width 66–120 μm (18 specimens), body length 58–100 μm (18 specimens), body width 44–74 μm (18 specimens), archaeopyle maximum diameter 30–46 μm, process length 23–36 μm, process width up to 20 μm proximally and 25–30 μm distally.
Comparison: Turbiosphaera archangelskyi differs from Turbiosphaera filosa in having multiple intratabular to penitabular fibrous stems joined distally into groups to form a process complex. In contrast, Turbiosphaera filosa (as emended herein) has isolated intratabular fibrous processes.
Some process complexes may be connected to adjacent complexes by thin trabecula. In contrast Turbiosphaera filosa has relatively simple intratabular fibrous processes. Turbiosphaera sarrisii has short taeniate processes proximally joined by a membrane or along their length by membranous trabecula; isolated processes occur only in the cingular series. Turbiosphaera sagena has processes similar to those of Turbiosphaera archangelskyi, but the fibrous stems of individual process complexes are joined only distally by perforate platforms (Plate III, 12 arrowed in white). Turbiosphaera guersteiniae has characteristic fibrous process stems but the distal ends of processes are solid and lack connections.
Turbiosphaera galatea differs from Turbiosphaera archangelskyi in having an apical expansion that may resolve into individual fibrous apical processes. Turbiosphaera magnifica is like Turbiosphaera galatea but distinctly elongate. According to Eaton (1976) the processes of Turbiosphaera magnifica are arranged in three discrete groups: one involving the apical horn plus precingular processes, one with the cingular processes, and one with the antapical and postcingular processes.
This feature and the form of its apical horn distinguishes Turbiosphaera magnifica from Turbiosphaera archangelskyi. Turbiosphaera symmetrica resembles Turbiosphaera archangelskyi in having precingular processes connected to each other and to the apical processes by fibrous fenestrate membranes; the antapical and postcingular processes are similarly connected, but the species differs from Turbiosphaera archangelskyi in showing an apical boss and processes that are progressively longer from the paracingulum to the poles, and in having adjacent cingular processes connected to each other. As in Turbiosphaera magnifica, Turbiosphaera symmetrica has processes arranged in three discrete groups. Turbiosphaera proximata appears to be distinguished from other species of Turbiosphaera in having proximally connected processes.