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Thalassiphora patula

Thalassiphora patula (Williams and Downie, 1966) Stover and Evitt 1978

Originally Adnatosphaeridium?, subsequently (and now) Thalassiphora.
Tax. jr. synonym of Thalassiphora pelagica (Eisenack, 1954) Eisenack and Gocht, 1960, according to Benedek and Gocht, 1981; however, Lentin and Williams, 1985 retained Thalassiphora patula as a separate species.
Tax. sr. synonym of Subathua sahnii Khanna and Singh, 1980, according to Stover and Williams, 1987 and Lentin and Williams, 1989. The transfer of this species from Adnatosphaeridium? to Thalassiphora is not attributable to Bujak et al., 1980.

Holotype: Williams and Downie, 1966, pl.24, fig.2; text-fig.58
Locus typicus: London Clay, Enborne, England
Stratum typicum: Early Eocene

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G.L. Williams short notes on species, Mesozoic-Cenozoic dinocyst course, Urbino, Italy, May 17-22, 1999 - LPP VIEWER CD-ROM 99.5.

Thalassiphora patula (Williams and Downie, 1966c) Stover and Evitt, 1978. Thalassiphora patula has a subspherical central body with fibrous wall up to 1 µm thick. Periphragm makes contact with endophragm to form “processes”. Archeopyle precingular. Size: diameter of central body 75-95 µm, height of membrane up to 37 µm.
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Original diagnosis: Williams and Downie, 1966, p. 217: Adnatosphaeridium patulum
Sub-spherical central body with fibrous wall up to 1Á thick, composed of endocoel and pericoel. Processes intratabular open, flared, with fibrous walls; one per plate. Adjacent processes united distally. Archaeopyle haplotabular.
Dimensions: Holotype: diameter of central body 75 by 80 Ám. Length of processes up to 37 Ám. Observed range: diameter of central body 75-95 Ám. Length of processes up to 37 Ám.

Original description: Williams and Downie, 1966, p. 218: Adnatosphaeridium patulum
A. patulm has a quadrate archaeopyle resulting from the loss of a single plate. The archaeopyle is surrounded by six processes in the holotype; these may be precingular but until more specimens are studied definite conclusions cannot be drawn. The processes are considerably broader distally than proximally and have undulose margins. Distal margins of adj acent processes are united. The fibres of the process walls are haphazard in orientation. The walls often appear perforate and this may in part be due to differential staining. The central body is medium brown, the processes tranparent, yellowish green.

Affinities:
Williams and Downie, 1966, p. 218: Adnatosphaeridium patulum
The processes readily distinguish ?A. patulum from other described species. Because of the uncertainty with regard to the type of archaeopyle and its shape, the species is tentatively placed in Adnatosphaeuidium.
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