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Dracodinium waipawaense

Dracodinium waipawense (Wilson, 1967) Costa and Downie, 1979

NOW Petalodinium. Originally Wetzeliella subgenus Rhombodinium, subsequently Rhombodinium, thirdly Dracodinium, fourthly (and now) Petalodinium.

Holotype: Wilson, 1967, fig.18
Locus typicus: Waipawa, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Stratum typicum: Early Eocene

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G.L. Williams short notes on species, Mesozoic-Cenozoic dinocyst course, Urbino, Italy, May 17-22, 1999 - LPP VIEWER CD-ROM 99.5.

Dracodinium waipawaense (Wilson, 1967c) Costa and Downie, 1979, has a more or less rhomboidal pericyst with the cingular horns longer than the apical and antapical horns. The margin is generally smooth but sometimes serrated near the apical and antapical horns. Left antapical horn when developed is very small. Periphragm is punctate. The periarcheopyle extends into the apical pericoel. Dracodinium waipawaense differs from Rhombodinium? glabrum in having substantially longer cingular horns, in lacking a cingulum and in usually possessing widely spaced serrations near the horns. Size: pericyst length 102-107 µm, width 118 µm, endocyst 69-74 x 69-74 µm, apical horn 11-14 µm, right antapical horn 11-14 µm, left antapical horn 5 µm, lateral horn 22 µm.
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Original description: Wilson, 1967, p.493: Wetzeliella (Rhombodinium) waipawensis
Periphragm more or less rhomboidal. with the lateral horns longer than polar horns. Margin generally smooth, sometimes serrated near polar horns. No indication of transverse girdle apart from distal notches in lateral horns. Left antapical horn, when developed, very small. Capsule circular. Periphragm surface punctate. Archeopyle four-sided.
Holotype: 1= 102 µm, h= 118 µm, capsule 69x69 µm, ap. h. 14 µm , r. ant. h. 11 µm. Iat. h. 22 µm. Paratype (SM 204): l= 107 µm b= 118 µm, capsule 74x74 µm, ap. h. 11 µm, ant. h. 5 µm, r. ant. h. 14 µm, lat. h. 22 µm.

Affinities:
Wilson, 1967, p.493: Wetzeliella (Rhombodinium) waipawensis
This species has some similarity to W. (Rh.) glabra but differs in having substantially longer lateral horns, in lacking a transverse girdle, and in usually possessing widely space serrations near the horns.
Several species of the sub-genus Wetzeliella (Rhombodinium) have many features in common and it is not always easy to distinguish readily between them. Features such as periphragm shape and texture are of paramount importance.
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