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Druggidium laeve
Druggidium laeve (Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951) emend. Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant, 1983
Originally Phanerodinium cayeuxi var. Iaeve, subsequently Phanerodinium cayeuxi ssp. Iaeve, thirdly (and now) Druggidium laeve.
This taxon was raised to the subspecies level by Lentin and Williams, 1973.
Harding, 1986, noted that this species is based on a poorly known specimen. He recommended its retention in Phanerodinium Deflandre, 1937, and stated that the name should be restricted to the holotype.
Below, 1987, considered this species to be a nomen dubium.
Holotype: Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951, fig. 6 and Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant 1983: Pl. I: 4-5; Fig. 3.
Locus typicus: Flint from Craie de Spiennes, quarry of Mortiau, Cuesmes (Hainaut), Belgium.
Stratum typicum: Upper Cretaceous; Senonian
Age: Senonian
Emended diagnosis: Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant 1983, p. 4-5
Cyst broadly ellipsoidal to elongate-subpolygonal, of small relative size. Epitract markedly smaller than hypotract, roughly hemispheroidal in shape. Hypotract hemiovoidal to hemiellipsoidal, its posterior end having almost the form of a truncated cone. Crests low, entire, but forming rounded-triangular prominences at most points of intersection. Paratabulation ?Opr, ?4", 6", 6-?7c, 6" ", 1p, 1" ", ?s. The posterior ventral paraplate is unusually large; the antapical plate is tilted toward the dorsal surface. Cingulum very broad and only weakly helical; sulcus of moderate breadth. Surface of phragma laevigate to minutely granulate. Archaeopyle not observed.
Description: Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant 1983, p. 4-5
The holotype is presented with left lateral surface uppermost; it is a specimen whose archaeopyle apparently did not open. The lower (riaht lateral) surface was not elucidated in the earlier description (Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951), but modern microscopic equipment enables its character to be perceived also (Fig. 3). Most features of the paratabulation thus can be elucidated with confidence, save for the features of the exact apex and the ventral surface. Noteworthy features are (1) the low, solid, entire crests, extending upwards at their po;nts of junction to form triangular projections; (2) the nature of the posterior paratabulation, as noted in the emended diagnosis; (3) the very broad cingulum, swelling outvvard between, and narrowing at, the positions of sutures between the cingular paraplates; and (4) the small relative size of the epitract.
Dimensions: Holotype (unique): overall length 28Ám, overall breadth c. 16Ám.
Remarks: Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant 1983, p. 4-5
Though the nature of its archaeopyle remains to be determined, this species corresponds so completely in all its other features with the genus Druggidium that its reassignment is proposed with confidence. Among existing species, the most similar is Druggidium apicopaucicum (Habib, 1973); however, the crests of the latter species are even lower and lack prolongations in gonal position, while the disproportion between epitract and hypotract is even more marked and the antapex more rounded. Only one specimen was available to us for examination. For fuller information on the nature of the apical and ventral paratabulation andthe nature of the archeopyle, we must await the discovery of an ampler material.
Originally Phanerodinium cayeuxi var. Iaeve, subsequently Phanerodinium cayeuxi ssp. Iaeve, thirdly (and now) Druggidium laeve.
This taxon was raised to the subspecies level by Lentin and Williams, 1973.
Harding, 1986, noted that this species is based on a poorly known specimen. He recommended its retention in Phanerodinium Deflandre, 1937, and stated that the name should be restricted to the holotype.
Below, 1987, considered this species to be a nomen dubium.
Holotype: Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951, fig. 6 and Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant 1983: Pl. I: 4-5; Fig. 3.
Locus typicus: Flint from Craie de Spiennes, quarry of Mortiau, Cuesmes (Hainaut), Belgium.
Stratum typicum: Upper Cretaceous; Senonian
Age: Senonian
Emended diagnosis: Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant 1983, p. 4-5
Cyst broadly ellipsoidal to elongate-subpolygonal, of small relative size. Epitract markedly smaller than hypotract, roughly hemispheroidal in shape. Hypotract hemiovoidal to hemiellipsoidal, its posterior end having almost the form of a truncated cone. Crests low, entire, but forming rounded-triangular prominences at most points of intersection. Paratabulation ?Opr, ?4", 6", 6-?7c, 6" ", 1p, 1" ", ?s. The posterior ventral paraplate is unusually large; the antapical plate is tilted toward the dorsal surface. Cingulum very broad and only weakly helical; sulcus of moderate breadth. Surface of phragma laevigate to minutely granulate. Archaeopyle not observed.
Description: Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant 1983, p. 4-5
The holotype is presented with left lateral surface uppermost; it is a specimen whose archaeopyle apparently did not open. The lower (riaht lateral) surface was not elucidated in the earlier description (Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951), but modern microscopic equipment enables its character to be perceived also (Fig. 3). Most features of the paratabulation thus can be elucidated with confidence, save for the features of the exact apex and the ventral surface. Noteworthy features are (1) the low, solid, entire crests, extending upwards at their po;nts of junction to form triangular projections; (2) the nature of the posterior paratabulation, as noted in the emended diagnosis; (3) the very broad cingulum, swelling outvvard between, and narrowing at, the positions of sutures between the cingular paraplates; and (4) the small relative size of the epitract.
Dimensions: Holotype (unique): overall length 28Ám, overall breadth c. 16Ám.
Remarks: Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant 1983, p. 4-5
Though the nature of its archaeopyle remains to be determined, this species corresponds so completely in all its other features with the genus Druggidium that its reassignment is proposed with confidence. Among existing species, the most similar is Druggidium apicopaucicum (Habib, 1973); however, the crests of the latter species are even lower and lack prolongations in gonal position, while the disproportion between epitract and hypotract is even more marked and the antapex more rounded. Only one specimen was available to us for examination. For fuller information on the nature of the apical and ventral paratabulation andthe nature of the archeopyle, we must await the discovery of an ampler material.