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Druggidium laeve
From Fensome et al., 2019:
Druggidium laeve (Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951, p.B310–B311; text-fig.6) Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant, 1983, p.4. Emendation: Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant, 1983, p.4, as Druggidium laeve. Holotype: Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951, text-fig.6. Originally Phanerodinium cayeuxi var. laeve, subsequently Phanerodinium cayeuxi subsp. laeve, thirdly Druggidium laeve, fourthly (and now) Druggidium? laeve. Questionable assignment: Below (1987b, p.39), as a "nomen dubium". Harding (1986b, p.19) recommended that this name be restricted to the holotype. Age:
Senonian.
Locus typicus: Flint from Craie de Spiennes, quarry of Mortiau, Cuesmes (Hainaut), Belgium.
Stratum typicum: Upper Cretaceous; Senonian
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Original description Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951
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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 (right 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 points 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 outward 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 28 µm, overall breadth c. 16 µm.
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.
Druggidium laeve (Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951, p.B310–B311; text-fig.6) Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant, 1983, p.4. Emendation: Lejeune-Carpentier and Sarjeant, 1983, p.4, as Druggidium laeve. Holotype: Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951, text-fig.6. Originally Phanerodinium cayeuxi var. laeve, subsequently Phanerodinium cayeuxi subsp. laeve, thirdly Druggidium laeve, fourthly (and now) Druggidium? laeve. Questionable assignment: Below (1987b, p.39), as a "nomen dubium". Harding (1986b, p.19) recommended that this name be restricted to the holotype. Age:
Senonian.
Locus typicus: Flint from Craie de Spiennes, quarry of Mortiau, Cuesmes (Hainaut), Belgium.
Stratum typicum: Upper Cretaceous; Senonian
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Original description Lejeune-Carpentier, 1951
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 (right 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 points 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 outward 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 28 µm, overall breadth c. 16 µm.
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.