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Damassadinium californicum
Damassadinium californicum (Drugg, 1967) Fensome et al., 1993
NOW Danea. Originally Palmnickia, subsequently Samlandia, thirdly (and now) Danea, fourthly Damassadinium (generic name illegitimate).
Taxonomic junior synonym: Danea mutabilis, according to Damassa (1979b, p.193).
The nomenclatural type of the genus Damassadinium (name illegitimate) remains the holotype of Danea mutabilis.
Holotype: Drugg, 1967, pl.5, fig.15
Paratype: Drugg, 1967
Locus typicus: Escarpado Canyon, California, USA
Stratum typicum: Danian
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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.
Damassadinium californicum (Drugg, 1967) Fensome et al., 1993b. Drugg (1967, as Danea mutabilis) is ovoidal with apical and antapical horns. The apical horn is large up to about 40 Fm. The periphragm is fibrous and gives rise to the processes. On most specimens there are three large annular processes on the epicyst. The cingulum is marked by six flattened processes. The hypocyst also has three large annular processes. Size: body length about 89-116 Fm. Height of processes 10 - 25 Fm.
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Original description: Drugg 1967, p. 30 (Palmnickia californica):
Diagnosis: Test elliptical in outline, blunt at the apex and drawn out into an extension at the antapical pole. This extension varies from rather short and blunt to fairly long and acuminate. The test wall is about 1.5 Ám thick, punctate. A large more or less rectangular precingular archeopyle is present on the dorsal surface. Several filamentous and laminar processes are distributed over the surface of the cyst presumably corresponding to tabulation (see pl. 9, fig. 8a-b). At times the larger processes appear to be composed of small processes, separate at the base but joined together farther up. A fringe-like- process encircles the antapical spine, the latter protruding through the center of this process. The hypotheca bears four large, hollow, somewhat filamentous or fibrous, processes which apparently delimit plate areas. The dorsal girdle area is marked by three lamellar processes with long axes of the test. The process arrangment on the epitheca is less clear but there are apparently four groups of processes in a precingular position plus the archeopyle opening. Two lamellar processes extend parallel to the long axis on the ventral epitheca. The operculum also bears a group of processes. The apex is crowned by a circular filamentous to fibrous process. The arrangment of the processes, and groups of processes is clearest on the dorsal side. On some specimens the processes do not form readily recognizable patterns.
Dimensions: The size ranges from 44 to 66 Ám wide and 61 to 103 Ám long, antapical horn included.
Affinities:
Drugg, 1967, p. 30 (Palmnickia californica): The species resembles Palmnickia lobifera Eisenack, 1954, but differs in exhibiting an antapical spine and in the presence of a degree of tabulation as suggested by the distribution of processes.
NOW Danea. Originally Palmnickia, subsequently Samlandia, thirdly (and now) Danea, fourthly Damassadinium (generic name illegitimate).
Taxonomic junior synonym: Danea mutabilis, according to Damassa (1979b, p.193).
The nomenclatural type of the genus Damassadinium (name illegitimate) remains the holotype of Danea mutabilis.
Holotype: Drugg, 1967, pl.5, fig.15
Paratype: Drugg, 1967
Locus typicus: Escarpado Canyon, California, USA
Stratum typicum: Danian
--------------------------------------------------
G.L. Williams short notes on species, Mesozoic-Cenozoic dinocyst course, Urbino, Italy, May 17-22, 1999 - LPP VIEWER CD-ROM 99.5.
Damassadinium californicum (Drugg, 1967) Fensome et al., 1993b. Drugg (1967, as Danea mutabilis) is ovoidal with apical and antapical horns. The apical horn is large up to about 40 Fm. The periphragm is fibrous and gives rise to the processes. On most specimens there are three large annular processes on the epicyst. The cingulum is marked by six flattened processes. The hypocyst also has three large annular processes. Size: body length about 89-116 Fm. Height of processes 10 - 25 Fm.
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Original description: Drugg 1967, p. 30 (Palmnickia californica):
Diagnosis: Test elliptical in outline, blunt at the apex and drawn out into an extension at the antapical pole. This extension varies from rather short and blunt to fairly long and acuminate. The test wall is about 1.5 Ám thick, punctate. A large more or less rectangular precingular archeopyle is present on the dorsal surface. Several filamentous and laminar processes are distributed over the surface of the cyst presumably corresponding to tabulation (see pl. 9, fig. 8a-b). At times the larger processes appear to be composed of small processes, separate at the base but joined together farther up. A fringe-like- process encircles the antapical spine, the latter protruding through the center of this process. The hypotheca bears four large, hollow, somewhat filamentous or fibrous, processes which apparently delimit plate areas. The dorsal girdle area is marked by three lamellar processes with long axes of the test. The process arrangment on the epitheca is less clear but there are apparently four groups of processes in a precingular position plus the archeopyle opening. Two lamellar processes extend parallel to the long axis on the ventral epitheca. The operculum also bears a group of processes. The apex is crowned by a circular filamentous to fibrous process. The arrangment of the processes, and groups of processes is clearest on the dorsal side. On some specimens the processes do not form readily recognizable patterns.
Dimensions: The size ranges from 44 to 66 Ám wide and 61 to 103 Ám long, antapical horn included.
Affinities:
Drugg, 1967, p. 30 (Palmnickia californica): The species resembles Palmnickia lobifera Eisenack, 1954, but differs in exhibiting an antapical spine and in the presence of a degree of tabulation as suggested by the distribution of processes.