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Thalassiphora spinosa*

Thalassiphora spinosa (Khanna and Singh, 1980) Stover and Williams, 1987

Combination illegitimate — senior homonym: Thalassiphora spinosa (Clarke and Verdier, 1967) Foucher, 1975. Substitute name: Thalassiphora simlaensis.
Originally Subathua spinosa, subsequently Thalassiphora spinosa (combination illegitimate), thirdly (and now) Thalassiphora simlaensis.
Taxonomic senior synonym: Pterospermopsis (as and now Thalassiphora) pelagica, according to Lentin and Williams (1985, p.340) — however, Stover and Williams (1987, p.207) retained Subathua (as Thalassiphora) spinosa (now Thalassiphora simlaensis).
Nomenclatural junior synonym: Muratodinium subathuensis, since in proposing this species Sarkar (2012, p.174) included the holotype of Thalassiphora simlaensis (=Subathua spinosa) in synonymy with Muratodinium subathuensis.

Holotype: Khanna and Singh, 1980, pl.1, fig.10
Age: Eocene

Original description (Khanna and Singh, 1980)
Holotype - Pl. l, fig. 10, slide no. 5865.
Type Locality - Jabli, Subathu Formation, Simla Hills.
Diagnosis - Cyst cavate, central body spherical to oval with apical and/or antapical and/or lateral horn or horns or protuberance; periphragm forming parachutelike wing lamella covering the body ventrally;
archaeopyle precingular.
Description - Cyst cavate; usually dorsoventrally :flattened; endophragm smooth or granulose forming spherical to oval body with apical and/or antapical and/or lateral horn/horns or protuberance; periphragmal
strands arising either from the lateral or laterodorsal region, ramifying, inturning, uniting and forming a parachute-like coarse to fine reticulate wing lamella covering the body ventrally; reflected tabulation not evident; cingulum forming a raised ridge; archaeopyle quadrate, precingular. Dimensions - Holotype; diameter of cyst body 72 x 59 μ.; overall diameter 91 x 82 μ.; observed range; diameter or cyst body
56 x 47-72x59 μ.; overall diameter 85x75-91 x 82 μ..
Comparison - Subathua spinosa sp. nov. closely resembles Subathua sahnii sp. nov. but can be distinguished by the presence of apical and/or antapical and/or lateral horn or horns or protuberance on the central body.
Remarks - Though plate tabulation pattern is not completely evident in the present species, thickenings in the periphragm in some specimens indicate plate areas. A distinct pericoel is present on the ventral surface.
Occurrence - Middle Eocene.
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