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Raetiaedinium punctulatum
From Fensome et al., 2019:
Raetiaedinium punctulatum Slimani, 1994, p.87–88, pl.13, figs.12–15. Holotype: Slimani, 1994, pl.13, figs.14–15. Age: late Campanian–earliest Danian.
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Original description (Slimani, 1994) Not yet translated from French.
Name derivation: Latin: punctulatus, dotted; reference to the dotted endophragm.
Holotvpe: Halembaye ech. 54, preparation 3, E.F. coordinates M47.
Paratvpe: Halembaye ech. 57, preparation 5, E.F. coordinates Z57.
Type locality: Halembaye ech. 54.
Type horizon: Upper Maastrichtian (Member of Lixhe 1).
Diagnosis: Chorata cyst; the central body is spheroidal to subspheroidal with an apical protrusion and a punctoretic autophragm. It bears one tubular process per plate. The processes are nearly the same length but slightly variable in width; the widest are located in the precingular and postcingular regions. They are slightly striated longitudinally, broad proximally, and closed distally, terminating in an aculeate to digitate margin. The paratabulation is gonyaulacoid in type and defined as follows: 4', 6", 6c, 6'", lp, 1". The archeopyl is precingular, type 2P (3'+4'), with a free operculum in two disjointed paraplates.
Dimensions: Holotype. Central body, length: 38 µm, width: 32 µm.
Process length: 20 µm.
Variations: Central body length: 30–40 µm; width: 24–34 µm.
Process length: 16–20 µm.
Number of specimens measured: 15.
Material: 98 specimens.
Description: The endophragm (approximately 1 µm thick), finely dotted, and the thin, finely fibrous to microreticular periphragm are in contact between the processes. The small apical protrusion of the periphragm is about 2 µm in size, shaped like a nipple, rarely surmounted by two filiform projections (6 to 8 µm long). When discernible, it, along with the archeopyle, allows for the orientation of the cyst. The processes are formed of thin walls. The apical and parasulcal processes are thin, while the paracingular processes are slightly less broad than the precingular and postcingular processes.
Comparison: The presence of a type 2P precingular archeopyl in Raetiaedinium punctulatum sp. nov. is the main characteristic that distinguishes it from all species of the genera Florentinia Davey and Verdier (1973), Hystrichosphaeridium Deflandre (1937b), and Kleithriasphaeridium Davey (1974). It differs from R. evittigratia Kirsch (1991) and R. truncigerum (Deflandre, 1937b) Kirsch (1991) primarily in its processes, which are distally flared, of less variable width, and without proximal connections. It is very similar to Florentinia aculeata Kirsch (1991), from which it differs only by its type 2P precingular archeopyl instead of an archeopyl combining apical paraplas and a precingular paraplace. Raetiaedinium fibrostriatum sp. nov. differs from Raetiaedinium punctulatum sp. nov. by its larger size, strongly fibrous cell wall, and very wide and more strongly striated precingular and postcingular processes, the precingular processes being further bifurcated to branched.
Straligraphic distribution: Beutenaken: specimens 4 to 20, Halembaye: specimens 27 to 80; Upper Campanian - Upper Maastrichtian (B. mucronaia Zone, B. junior Zone). Turnhout: -933 to -759.89 m, Upper Campanian - Early Danian.
Raetiaedinium punctulatum Slimani, 1994, p.87–88, pl.13, figs.12–15. Holotype: Slimani, 1994, pl.13, figs.14–15. Age: late Campanian–earliest Danian.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original description (Slimani, 1994) Not yet translated from French.
Name derivation: Latin: punctulatus, dotted; reference to the dotted endophragm.
Holotvpe: Halembaye ech. 54, preparation 3, E.F. coordinates M47.
Paratvpe: Halembaye ech. 57, preparation 5, E.F. coordinates Z57.
Type locality: Halembaye ech. 54.
Type horizon: Upper Maastrichtian (Member of Lixhe 1).
Diagnosis: Chorata cyst; the central body is spheroidal to subspheroidal with an apical protrusion and a punctoretic autophragm. It bears one tubular process per plate. The processes are nearly the same length but slightly variable in width; the widest are located in the precingular and postcingular regions. They are slightly striated longitudinally, broad proximally, and closed distally, terminating in an aculeate to digitate margin. The paratabulation is gonyaulacoid in type and defined as follows: 4', 6", 6c, 6'", lp, 1". The archeopyl is precingular, type 2P (3'+4'), with a free operculum in two disjointed paraplates.
Dimensions: Holotype. Central body, length: 38 µm, width: 32 µm.
Process length: 20 µm.
Variations: Central body length: 30–40 µm; width: 24–34 µm.
Process length: 16–20 µm.
Number of specimens measured: 15.
Material: 98 specimens.
Description: The endophragm (approximately 1 µm thick), finely dotted, and the thin, finely fibrous to microreticular periphragm are in contact between the processes. The small apical protrusion of the periphragm is about 2 µm in size, shaped like a nipple, rarely surmounted by two filiform projections (6 to 8 µm long). When discernible, it, along with the archeopyle, allows for the orientation of the cyst. The processes are formed of thin walls. The apical and parasulcal processes are thin, while the paracingular processes are slightly less broad than the precingular and postcingular processes.
Comparison: The presence of a type 2P precingular archeopyl in Raetiaedinium punctulatum sp. nov. is the main characteristic that distinguishes it from all species of the genera Florentinia Davey and Verdier (1973), Hystrichosphaeridium Deflandre (1937b), and Kleithriasphaeridium Davey (1974). It differs from R. evittigratia Kirsch (1991) and R. truncigerum (Deflandre, 1937b) Kirsch (1991) primarily in its processes, which are distally flared, of less variable width, and without proximal connections. It is very similar to Florentinia aculeata Kirsch (1991), from which it differs only by its type 2P precingular archeopyl instead of an archeopyl combining apical paraplas and a precingular paraplace. Raetiaedinium fibrostriatum sp. nov. differs from Raetiaedinium punctulatum sp. nov. by its larger size, strongly fibrous cell wall, and very wide and more strongly striated precingular and postcingular processes, the precingular processes being further bifurcated to branched.
Straligraphic distribution: Beutenaken: specimens 4 to 20, Halembaye: specimens 27 to 80; Upper Campanian - Upper Maastrichtian (B. mucronaia Zone, B. junior Zone). Turnhout: -933 to -759.89 m, Upper Campanian - Early Danian.