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Pterodinium circumsutum

Pterodinium circumsutum Morgenroth, 1966

Now Pentadinium?. Originally Pterodinium, subsequently (and now) Pentadinium?.

Holotype: Morgenroth, 1966, pl.1, fig.3
Age: Early Oligocene

Original description Morgenroth, 1966

Derivatio nominis: circumsucre Latin = to hem around.
Holotype: The one in Slide H17 preserved specimen shown on Plate 1, Fig. 3. Paratypoid: H2, H15, H18.
Locus typicus: Leopold'sche Ziegelei (south of Helmstedt).
Strahum typicum: Lower Oligocene.
Diagnosis: A species of the genus Pterodinium with broad, usually weakly toothed edges as field boundaries. Instead of a belt furrow, there is only a simple left-handed spiral margin, which is interrupted ventrally by an undivided, broad transverse furrow.
Description: The clearly oval capsule has a granulated surface. Approximately 14µ high, mostly serrated edges rise from the field boundaries. - The apical pole is designated by an approximately square field. Below this are 3 large trapezoidal fields, of which the middle one has broken off in all specimens to form a pylom. A transverse furrow is not formed. In its place there is a simple left-handed spiral border, which is interrupted ventrally by a wide, undivided longitudinal furrow. This is often limited on both sides by low seams, but in some specimens there is no clear demarcation. The hypotheca is followed by 3 trapezoidal fields. The antapex - like the apical pole - is formed by a trapezoidal field.

Dimensions:
Cyst length: 57µ (50µ–62µ)
Cyst width: 49µ (42µ–50µ)
Hem width: 11–14 µ
(20 measurements)
Number of specimens measured: 21.

Comparison: Pterodinium circumsutum differs from all previously found species in this genus mainly due to the lack of a true belt groove.
Remarks: So far the genus with 3 species has only been recorded in the Albian and Aptian. A possible rearrangement of the specimens found from chalk layers can be ruled out, as no other microfossils known only from chalk were found in the samples.
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