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Wetzeliella samlandica
Wetzeliella samlandica Eisenack, 1954
Originally Wetzeliella, subsequently (and now) Dracodinium. Neumann (1990, p.163) retained this species in Wetzeliella; however, Williams et al. (2015, p.304) retained the species in Dracodinium.
Holotype: Eisenack, 1954, pl.8, fig.11
Locus typicus: Samland, E Prussia
Stratum typicum: Early Oligocene
Translation Eisenack, 1954: LPP
Translation Gocht, 1969: Geological Survey of Canada
Original description: Eisenack, 1954, p. 59
Diagnosis: Capsule with firm (dark redbrown) wall, filling the outer shell almost to the rim, so that marginally, between them, there is hardly any space left, often with small bulges (ears) entering the lateral horns. The horns, including the apical, are essentially more sharply set off and, in proportion to the rest of the shell, longer than in W. articulata, and also quite delicate and thin-walled, with narow tips and distally blunt. The bristles are thin, almost hair-like, with distally scarcely indicated furcation and quite numerous. The size is smaller than in W. articulata.
Remark: The pylome is as usually located below the apex on the front side, it is generally rounded-oval.
Dimensions: holotype: 114:93 µm, capsule 69:67 µm; two other specimens of similar dimensions.
Gocht, 1969, p.17-18:
The habit of W. samlandica corresponds well with the definition given by Eisenack, 1954. Intermediate forms towards W. similis or even more extensive modifications as observed by Morgenroth, 1966 seem to be absent in Meckelfeld. Only two specimens resemble solida. The horns are usually well differentiated from the main body. The antapical horns are differently sized, but well developed. They stand isolated on the main body, or they may be connected by deep, rounded indentations. The polar horns tend to have acute apices, while the lateral horns are rather truncate or notched. The outer membrane bears numerous hollow, slender or flexible processes which are of about equal length on the main body and shorter at the poles. The slender shaft is crowned by a cross of usually four short spinules (fig. 8). A few counts yielded 145-185 processes.
There is no regular arrangement, but there are almost always two parallel rows of processes on the dorsal side corresponding to the precingular series, which appear like a transverse furrow; the upper row is always directly adjacent to the inner edge of the archeopyle. The inner body varies in thickness, is usually more strongly colored than the outer membrane, and may by "capped" with flocculent organic substance in the area of the horns. Between the horns, it is tightly appressed to the outer membrane. The archeopyle sutures on the outer and inner body are usually of equal length and superposed, although slight overlaps also occur. The two lids detach separately. The flagellar insertion is small but well developed, and sometimes bipartite. The main body is highly convex and in most cases fully preserved even on thin-walled specimens. In this respect the species resembles W. solida, especially since two specimens approximate this species through the reduction of the apical and one of the antapical horns.
Occurrence: Eocene.
Originally Wetzeliella, subsequently (and now) Dracodinium. Neumann (1990, p.163) retained this species in Wetzeliella; however, Williams et al. (2015, p.304) retained the species in Dracodinium.
Holotype: Eisenack, 1954, pl.8, fig.11
Locus typicus: Samland, E Prussia
Stratum typicum: Early Oligocene
Translation Eisenack, 1954: LPP
Translation Gocht, 1969: Geological Survey of Canada
Original description: Eisenack, 1954, p. 59
Diagnosis: Capsule with firm (dark redbrown) wall, filling the outer shell almost to the rim, so that marginally, between them, there is hardly any space left, often with small bulges (ears) entering the lateral horns. The horns, including the apical, are essentially more sharply set off and, in proportion to the rest of the shell, longer than in W. articulata, and also quite delicate and thin-walled, with narow tips and distally blunt. The bristles are thin, almost hair-like, with distally scarcely indicated furcation and quite numerous. The size is smaller than in W. articulata.
Remark: The pylome is as usually located below the apex on the front side, it is generally rounded-oval.
Dimensions: holotype: 114:93 µm, capsule 69:67 µm; two other specimens of similar dimensions.
Gocht, 1969, p.17-18:
The habit of W. samlandica corresponds well with the definition given by Eisenack, 1954. Intermediate forms towards W. similis or even more extensive modifications as observed by Morgenroth, 1966 seem to be absent in Meckelfeld. Only two specimens resemble solida. The horns are usually well differentiated from the main body. The antapical horns are differently sized, but well developed. They stand isolated on the main body, or they may be connected by deep, rounded indentations. The polar horns tend to have acute apices, while the lateral horns are rather truncate or notched. The outer membrane bears numerous hollow, slender or flexible processes which are of about equal length on the main body and shorter at the poles. The slender shaft is crowned by a cross of usually four short spinules (fig. 8). A few counts yielded 145-185 processes.
There is no regular arrangement, but there are almost always two parallel rows of processes on the dorsal side corresponding to the precingular series, which appear like a transverse furrow; the upper row is always directly adjacent to the inner edge of the archeopyle. The inner body varies in thickness, is usually more strongly colored than the outer membrane, and may by "capped" with flocculent organic substance in the area of the horns. Between the horns, it is tightly appressed to the outer membrane. The archeopyle sutures on the outer and inner body are usually of equal length and superposed, although slight overlaps also occur. The two lids detach separately. The flagellar insertion is small but well developed, and sometimes bipartite. The main body is highly convex and in most cases fully preserved even on thin-walled specimens. In this respect the species resembles W. solida, especially since two specimens approximate this species through the reduction of the apical and one of the antapical horns.
Occurrence: Eocene.