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Capillicysta gloriana

Capillicysta gloriana, Head et al., 1989

Holotype: Head et al., 1989, pl.5, figs.11-12
Locus typicus: ODP leg 105, site 646, Labrador Sea
Stratum typicum: Late Miocene-earliest Pliocene

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Original description: [Head et al., 1989, p. 453]

Diagnosis:
Cysts generally cornucavate, dorsoventrally compressed, and brown in color. Pericyst outline peridinioid with a short apical horn and two longer antapical horns of approximately equal length. Endocyst outline circular to rounded pentagonal, sometimes with a small apical prominence, having a smooth to irregularly granulate surface and a medium brown color. Pericyst thinner-walled than endocyst, pale brown, and with a smooth surface bearing short, tapering processes that are scattered over the surface but are usually concentrated around the ambitus and horns. Paracingulum planar and having low marginal folds.
Parasulcus is wide.
Archeopyle is isodeltaform intercalary.

Description:
Cysts are generally cornucavate, but the periphragm may be slightly separated at the lateral margins and occasionally small lateral horns may develop. Spine density is variable and midventral and middorsal areas are sometimes devoid of ornament. Spines are hollow, flattened, distally closed, occasionally bifid and may be clustered into small groups or lineations. They may have blunt or acuminate tips. Spines may be aligned on the paracingular margins. Low folds, which may bear aligned spines, have been observed occasionally on the epicyst and possibly represent similar parasutures to those which occur on the epicyst of Cristadinium cristatoserratum.
The archeopyle was rarely observed, although it appears to be isodeltaform hexa-intercalary with its lower margin possibly situated near the paracingulum.

Dimensions:
Holotype: Endocyst length, 52 µm; pericyst length, including processes, 63 µm.
Range of endocyst length, 34(46.6)60 µm; pericyst length, including processes, 43(59.5)72 µm; process length about 2.5 to 8.0 µm. Twelve specimens were measured.

Affinities:
This species compares closely with Capillicysta fusca; the type species, described from the upper middle to upper Miocene of Japan (Matsuoka et al., 1987), differing mainly in its longer spine length (cf. 1.9 to 3.5 µm for C. fusca); more prominent antapical horns; and apparently broader (steno-deltaform) archeopyle.
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