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Spiniferites ramuliferus
Spiniferites ramuliferus (Deflandre, 1937) Reid 1974
NOW Achomosphaera. Originally Hystrichosphaeridium, subsequently Baltisphaeridium (combination not validly published, Acritarch), thirdly (and now) Achomosphaera, fourthly Spiniferites.
Taxonomic junior synonym: Hystrichosphaeridium rehdense, according to Sarjeant (1983, p.97–99).
Holotype: Deflandre, 1937, pl.11, fig.5; Fensome et al., 1991, fig.1-p.721, fig.1-p.725
Locus typicus: Paris, France
Stratum typicum: Late Cretaceous
Translation Deflandre, 1937: LPP
Original description: Deflandre 1937, p. 74-75: Hystrichosphaeridium ramuliferum
This species does not possess sutures, however at first sight resembles Hystrichosphaera ramosa. The body is ellipsoidal or more often rhomboidal, and appears to consist of one piece. There are no signs of a subdivision into plates delimited by septa. The appendices on the body are very elegant and mostly strongly branched, and always end in three narrow horns standing normal to the axis of the process bearing them. In some specimens the narrow horns have two small terminal spinae. The largest appendices appear regularly arranged, in that they are often placed two by two at the ends of an imaginary axis through the body. The wall, yellow or brownish yellow, is clearly less resistant than that of the other species and is often folded and crumpled.
Approximate dimensions: inner body 35-45 µm, with appendices: 90-100 µm.
NOW Achomosphaera. Originally Hystrichosphaeridium, subsequently Baltisphaeridium (combination not validly published, Acritarch), thirdly (and now) Achomosphaera, fourthly Spiniferites.
Taxonomic junior synonym: Hystrichosphaeridium rehdense, according to Sarjeant (1983, p.97–99).
Holotype: Deflandre, 1937, pl.11, fig.5; Fensome et al., 1991, fig.1-p.721, fig.1-p.725
Locus typicus: Paris, France
Stratum typicum: Late Cretaceous
Translation Deflandre, 1937: LPP
Original description: Deflandre 1937, p. 74-75: Hystrichosphaeridium ramuliferum
This species does not possess sutures, however at first sight resembles Hystrichosphaera ramosa. The body is ellipsoidal or more often rhomboidal, and appears to consist of one piece. There are no signs of a subdivision into plates delimited by septa. The appendices on the body are very elegant and mostly strongly branched, and always end in three narrow horns standing normal to the axis of the process bearing them. In some specimens the narrow horns have two small terminal spinae. The largest appendices appear regularly arranged, in that they are often placed two by two at the ends of an imaginary axis through the body. The wall, yellow or brownish yellow, is clearly less resistant than that of the other species and is often folded and crumpled.
Approximate dimensions: inner body 35-45 µm, with appendices: 90-100 µm.