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Capisocysta wallii
Capisocysta wallii, Warny et Wrenn, 1997
Holotype: Warny et Wrenn, 1997: Plate VIII, 7 and 10
Type locality: Bou Regreg S Core, Sale, Riffian Corridor, Morocco Messinian
Distribution: DSDP Site 502; Morocco; Phosphorescence Bay, Puerto Rico
Stratigraphic range: Miocene to Pliocene: entire core, B106 (182.9 m) S2 (2.99 m) (Fig.2), plus Holocene (Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 502).
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Original description: [Warny et Wrenn, 1997, p. 298-299]:
Diagnosis:
A species of Capisocysta whose cysts are characterised by a round to ellipsoidal, cup-shaped epicyst bearing a handle-like parasulcal tab that projects posteriorly from the cyst margin. The tab may be divided by parasutures into 2 to 4 small paraplates.
The archeopyle is hypocystal (Type 6HPHAHItS).
Description:
Shape: The cysts were probably ellipsoidal to spherical prior to excystment. They are commonly encountered as complete elliptical epicysts and disarticulated individual opercular plates from the hypocystal archeopyle. The edges of the cup-shaped epicyst may be rolled inward, toward the center of the cup, distorting its overall shape.
Phragma: The surface of the clear, hyaline autophragm is generally microgranular to rugulate. The ornamentation on some specimens is reticulate.
Archeopyle: The hypocystal archeopyle (Type 6HPHAHItS) includes the lp, ps and all major paraplates posterior of the paracingulum.
Paratabulation: The only indications of paratabulation are 3-4 paraplates outlined by faint accessory parasutures and notches on the margin of the parasulcal tab. Paratabulation on the hypocyst of modern specimens (see Discussion below) is 6"", 1p, l"", 3-4s (D. Wall, pers. commun., data based on living specimens).
Paracingulum: None evident. The paracingular area remains attached to the epicyst, forming its posterior margin.
Parasulcus: The parasulcal tab consists of the right accessory sulcal paraplate (RAS), right sulcal paraplate (RS), left sulcal paraplate (LS) and the 1"" paraplate. The anterior sulcal paraplate is not differentiated. Some specimens exhibit a longitudinally elongate area (flagellar scar) in the center of the parasulcal tab.
Dimensions:
The specimens observed in palynological preparations are without exception excysted and distorted. Cysts of Capisocysta wallii were probably spherical to lenticular in shape prior to excystment and disarticulation of the hypocyst. Consequently, the measurements cited below are representative of excysted specimens as they occur in preparations and do not represent complete, undistorted cysts.
Holotype: length of cyst 47.6 µm; width of cyst 35.7 µm; autophragm thickness < 1.0 µm. Mean (x) and extreme values for n=20: length of cyst 44.2 (55.9)-68.0 µm; width of cyst 30.6- (40.8)-49.3 µm; autophragm thickness < 1.0 µm.
Specimens observed in the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 502 core are smaller [diameter 34-(44)-601 µm, autophragm thickness <1.0 µm, n=15; Wrenn, 1986) than those from Morocco.
Affinities:
Capisocysta is similar to Mendicodinium and Kallosphaeridium except that the archeopyle of the latter two species are epicystal and their opercular paraplates do not completely disarticulate upon excystment. In addition, the opercula pieces of Kallosphaeridium (De Coninck, 1969) remain attached to the cyst by the narrow anterior end of the parasulcal paraplates (Jan du Chene et al., 1984). The morphology of the new dinocyst is similar to that of Lingulodinium machaerophorum (Deflandre et Cookson) Wall, 1967 and Polysphaeridium zoharyi (Rossignol) Bujak et al., 1980 except that it lacks processes. By analogy with these species, the new bowl-shaped species was initially considered to have an epicystal archeopyle and a parasulcal tab. The apparent epicystal operculum was almost always missing, though some specimens did exhibit a few disarticulated opercular paraplates that somehow remained within, though detached, from the bowl of the cyst (Plate VIII, 2, 3).
Discussion with David Wall (formerly with Amoco Production Company) concerning this new taxon revealed that he had recovered complete, living specimens of this species from Phosphorescence Bay, Puerto Rico. The paratabulation on this cyst was well expressed on only one hemisphere. The other hemisphere exhibited only a few small parasutures on the marginal tabulation. The paraplates discernible on the hemisphere bearing well expressed paratabulation indicated to David Wall that it was the hypocyst (Fig. 3). The hemisphere bearing the marginal tab and the undifferentiated paracingulum was the epicyst. The marginal tab projects antapically when the smooth hemisphere is properly oriented. The archeopyle is considered to be hypocystal because:
(1) the paracingular area remains with the epicyst, which does not disarticulate, and;
(2) the hypocyst disarticulates into a number of plates during excystment.
Capisocysta lvallii is unusual in that it has a hypocystal archeopyle and a posteriorly directed parasulcal tab that arises from the epicyst.
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Ecologic distribution:
Recovered from inner neritic to oceanic deposits.
Holotype: Warny et Wrenn, 1997: Plate VIII, 7 and 10
Type locality: Bou Regreg S Core, Sale, Riffian Corridor, Morocco Messinian
Distribution: DSDP Site 502; Morocco; Phosphorescence Bay, Puerto Rico
Stratigraphic range: Miocene to Pliocene: entire core, B106 (182.9 m) S2 (2.99 m) (Fig.2), plus Holocene (Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 502).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original description: [Warny et Wrenn, 1997, p. 298-299]:
Diagnosis:
A species of Capisocysta whose cysts are characterised by a round to ellipsoidal, cup-shaped epicyst bearing a handle-like parasulcal tab that projects posteriorly from the cyst margin. The tab may be divided by parasutures into 2 to 4 small paraplates.
The archeopyle is hypocystal (Type 6HPHAHItS).
Description:
Shape: The cysts were probably ellipsoidal to spherical prior to excystment. They are commonly encountered as complete elliptical epicysts and disarticulated individual opercular plates from the hypocystal archeopyle. The edges of the cup-shaped epicyst may be rolled inward, toward the center of the cup, distorting its overall shape.
Phragma: The surface of the clear, hyaline autophragm is generally microgranular to rugulate. The ornamentation on some specimens is reticulate.
Archeopyle: The hypocystal archeopyle (Type 6HPHAHItS) includes the lp, ps and all major paraplates posterior of the paracingulum.
Paratabulation: The only indications of paratabulation are 3-4 paraplates outlined by faint accessory parasutures and notches on the margin of the parasulcal tab. Paratabulation on the hypocyst of modern specimens (see Discussion below) is 6"", 1p, l"", 3-4s (D. Wall, pers. commun., data based on living specimens).
Paracingulum: None evident. The paracingular area remains attached to the epicyst, forming its posterior margin.
Parasulcus: The parasulcal tab consists of the right accessory sulcal paraplate (RAS), right sulcal paraplate (RS), left sulcal paraplate (LS) and the 1"" paraplate. The anterior sulcal paraplate is not differentiated. Some specimens exhibit a longitudinally elongate area (flagellar scar) in the center of the parasulcal tab.
Dimensions:
The specimens observed in palynological preparations are without exception excysted and distorted. Cysts of Capisocysta wallii were probably spherical to lenticular in shape prior to excystment and disarticulation of the hypocyst. Consequently, the measurements cited below are representative of excysted specimens as they occur in preparations and do not represent complete, undistorted cysts.
Holotype: length of cyst 47.6 µm; width of cyst 35.7 µm; autophragm thickness < 1.0 µm. Mean (x) and extreme values for n=20: length of cyst 44.2 (55.9)-68.0 µm; width of cyst 30.6- (40.8)-49.3 µm; autophragm thickness < 1.0 µm.
Specimens observed in the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 502 core are smaller [diameter 34-(44)-601 µm, autophragm thickness <1.0 µm, n=15; Wrenn, 1986) than those from Morocco.
Affinities:
Capisocysta is similar to Mendicodinium and Kallosphaeridium except that the archeopyle of the latter two species are epicystal and their opercular paraplates do not completely disarticulate upon excystment. In addition, the opercula pieces of Kallosphaeridium (De Coninck, 1969) remain attached to the cyst by the narrow anterior end of the parasulcal paraplates (Jan du Chene et al., 1984). The morphology of the new dinocyst is similar to that of Lingulodinium machaerophorum (Deflandre et Cookson) Wall, 1967 and Polysphaeridium zoharyi (Rossignol) Bujak et al., 1980 except that it lacks processes. By analogy with these species, the new bowl-shaped species was initially considered to have an epicystal archeopyle and a parasulcal tab. The apparent epicystal operculum was almost always missing, though some specimens did exhibit a few disarticulated opercular paraplates that somehow remained within, though detached, from the bowl of the cyst (Plate VIII, 2, 3).
Discussion with David Wall (formerly with Amoco Production Company) concerning this new taxon revealed that he had recovered complete, living specimens of this species from Phosphorescence Bay, Puerto Rico. The paratabulation on this cyst was well expressed on only one hemisphere. The other hemisphere exhibited only a few small parasutures on the marginal tabulation. The paraplates discernible on the hemisphere bearing well expressed paratabulation indicated to David Wall that it was the hypocyst (Fig. 3). The hemisphere bearing the marginal tab and the undifferentiated paracingulum was the epicyst. The marginal tab projects antapically when the smooth hemisphere is properly oriented. The archeopyle is considered to be hypocystal because:
(1) the paracingular area remains with the epicyst, which does not disarticulate, and;
(2) the hypocyst disarticulates into a number of plates during excystment.
Capisocysta lvallii is unusual in that it has a hypocystal archeopyle and a posteriorly directed parasulcal tab that arises from the epicyst.
------------------------------------
Ecologic distribution:
Recovered from inner neritic to oceanic deposits.