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Spumadinium felderorum

Spumadinium *felderorum Brinkhuis et al., 2000, p.105,107, pl.4, figs.1–3,7–12; pl.5, figs.1–12; pl.6, figs.2–4; pl.7, fig.2; text-fig.3L.
Holotype: Brinkhuis et al., 2000, pl.4, figs.10–12.
Age: latest Maastrichtian–Danian.

Original description (Brinkuis et al., 2000)
Etymology: Named after the brothers P.J. and W.M. Felder, formerly of the Geological Survey of the Netherlands (RGD, now HITG-TNO), Heerlen Department, in recognition of their pioneer work on the Upper Cretaceous and Danian of the Maastrichtian type area.

Type occurrence: RGD Bunde Borehole (61F-312; 30 m), South Limburg, The Netherlands: Geleen Member (Danian) of the Houthem Formation.

Diagnosis: A species of Spumadinium with a spongy phragma that is pitted, numerous, short, oblate processes and a combination archeopyle resulting from the loss of two precingular and both anterior intercalary plates.

Description: Spumadinium felderorum has a spongy phragma, possibly columellate and up to 3–4 μm thick, with the outer surface perforate; the periphragm forms bulbous projections or crests up to 5 μm high. Some of the projections are oblate, others terminate in short (up to 6 μm), slender processes which are also oblate. The processes may be concentrated on the hypocyst; they are never uniformly distributed. The perforations in the phragma, ca. 1 μm in diameter, are variable in number and distribution. The archeopyle, as described for Spumadinium, is interpreted to result from the loss of two precingular and both anterior intercalary plates. The archeopyle is large with one long margin apparently representing the margin of the third and fourth precingular paraplates ( Fig. 3L). The other margin is multi-angular with a deeply indented central area that is assumed to mark the location of the anterior intercalary paraplates 2a and 1a. The angularities approximate the plate boundaries as shown in Fig. 3K and L), which we propose as the most logical interpretation. Unfortunately, we have not found an operculum or any opercular pieces to confirm our interpretation. This suggests that the operculum separated into individual plates, which could have been lost to the fine fraction during sieving.

Dimensions: Holotype length 57 μm, width 52 μm. Range of 15 specimens: length 48–62 μm, width 42–71μm.

Stratigraphic occurrence: Uppermost Maastrichtian and Danian, 75.75–30 m, Bunde Borehole, South Limburg, the Netherlands. The species is rare to common in samples Bunde 31-2, 28-3, 27-2 BASE, 26-2 BASE, 26-2 TOP, 26-1 BASE, 26-1 MID, 26-1 TOP, 20-1 MID, 17-2 TOP.

Remarks: In common with Lasagniella herngreenii, Spumadinium felderorum occurs in deposits that are thought to be marginal marine, judging from the high concentrations of Paralecaniella indentata and Cyclopsiella sp.

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G.L. Williams short notes on species, Mesozoic-Cenozoic dinocyst course, Urbino, Italy, May 17-22, 1999
Spumadinium felderorum Brinkhuis et al., in press, has a spongiose phragma, possibly columellate and up to 3-4 µm thick, with the outer surface perforate; the periphragm forms bulbous projections or crests up to 5 µm high. Some of the projections are oblate, others terminate in short (up to 6 µm) slender spines which are also oblate. The spines may be concentrated on the hypocyst; they are never uniformly distributed. The perforations in the phragm, about 1 µm in diameter, are variable in number and distribution. The archeopyle is large with one long margin apparently representing the margin of the third and fourth precingular paraplates. The other margin is multiangular with a deeply indented central area that is assumed to mark the location of the anterior intercalary plates 2a and 1a. The angularities approximate the plate boundaries. Unfortunately we have not found an operculum. This suggests that the operculum separated into individual plates which could have been lost when sieving the sample. Size: length 48-62 µm, width 42-71 µm.
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