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Chiropteridium galea

Chiropteridium galea, (Maier, 1959); emend. Sarjeant, 1983

Originally Galea (an illegitimate generic name), subsequently Baltisphaeridium, thirdly Areoligera, fourthly Areoligera?, fifthly (and now) Chiropteridium.
Tax. sr. synonym of Chiropteridium dispersum Gocht, 1960, according to Sarjeant, 1983
Tax. sr. synonym of Galea (al. Baltisphaeridium) mespilanum Maier, 1959, according to Sarjeant, 1983.
Tax. sr. synonym of Galea (al. Baltisphaeridium) levis Maier, 1959, according to Sarjeant, 1983
Tax. sr. synonym of Membranophoridium multispinatum Gerlach, 1961, according to Brosius, 1963, and Gocht, 1969.
Tax. sr. synonym of Membranophoridium (al. Chiropteridium) partispinatum Gerlach, 1961, by implication, according to Matsuoka and Bujak, 1988.

Holotype: Maier, 1959, pl.29, fig.4
Locus typicus: Innien, Holstein, Germany
Stratum typicum: Middle Oligocene

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Original description as Galea galea: [Maier, 1959, p. 306]: (Translation: LPP):

Diagnosis:
A species of the genus Galea with following characteristics: Membrane of body granulate, bearing variable process types. Equatorial opening marked by thorns and ridges.

Dimensions:
Length 55 µm, diameter at opening 100 µm (76 µm).

Remarks:
Membrane of helmet-shaped body granulate. The thin, simple processes are irregularly distributed. Processes pointed with blunt ends or with small hooks.

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Emended description:

Sarjeant, 1983, p.110:

Diagnosis:
Cyst lenticular, rounded in ambitus and dorsoventrally compressed, with antapex convex to somewhat flattened.
Membrane two-layered, the outer layer thinner and in part perforate, giving rise to the processes. Marginate, with two meridional crests, continuous or broken, and an irregular scatter of other processes elsewhere, sometimes isolate, sometimes united into short rows. The two major crests are of highly variable form; muricate, hystricate, antleriform, phractate, erymnate, or of character intermediate between these types. Shorter process rows, where present, show similar variation. Isolate processes may be evexate to capitate, oblate, bifid, bifurcate or branched with branches of similar or dissimilar size and themselves of comparably variable form. Apical and antapical processes exhibit no special features. Archaeopyle apical, type tA. Archaeopyle suture zigzag with parasulcal notch offset. Operculum free.

Affinities:
My restudy of the type material made it evident that three of Maier's species accord in morphology, not just with the genus Chiropteridium but in particular with the second species placed into that genus by Gocht, C. dispersum. Gocht noted: "Chiropteridium dispersum is differentiated from C. Iobospinosum through the smaller size and through the irregularly divided, flattened processes and smaller slender to pointed tipped processes, which encroach upon the middle region. The polar appendages are less clearly distinguished".

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Fensome et al., 1990, p. 622:
The following observations can be made: Article 68.1 of the l.C.B.N. implies that a specific epithet is to be considered valid at the date of its original proposal provided all requirements for valid publication are met, except that the generic name is illegitimate; apart from the fact that the generic name Galea is an illegitimate homonym, Maier (1959) fulfilled all requirements for the equivalent of valid publication under the l.C.Z.N.; and the I.C.B.N. accepts all names thus published under alternate recognized codes from the dates of their valid publication (or equivalent), if these names are transferred into the jurisdiction of the l.C.B.N. Thus Baltisphaeridium (now Chiropteridium) galea (Maier, 1959) Sarjeant, 1964 is here considered to be a validly published botanical name, with priority of the specific epithet dating back to 1959. In considering Galea (as Chiropteridium) galea Maier, 1959, Galea (al. Baltisphaeridium) levis Maier, 1959 and Galea (al. Baltisphaeridium) mespilanum Maier, 1959 to be synonymous, Sarjeant (1983, p. 108-109) chose Galea (as Chiropterldium) galea to be the senior name; as the first synonymizing author, his choice of epithet has priority. Lentin and Williams (1989, p.59) considered Galea (as Chiropteridium) mespilanum to be the senior name."

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Notes:
G.L. Williams short notes on species, Mesozoic-Cenozoic dinocyst course, Urbino, Italy, May 17-22, 1999

Chiropteridium galea (Maier, 1959) Sarjeant, 1983, emend. Sarjeant, 1983. According to Sarjeant (1983, p.110), the lenticular central body bears two meridional crests, continuous or broken, with processes occurring in irregular fashion elsewhere. Archeopyle apical, offset sulcal notch.
Size: holotype length 55 µm, width ?100 µm, width less processes ?76 µm.
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