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Pulchrasphaera minuscula
Pulchrasphaera minuscula Schioler et al. 1997
Taxonomic junior synonym: Nexosispinum? complicatum, according to Slimani (2001b, p.5).
Holotype: GEUS Catalogue No. 1996-PS-9 (Plate I, 1-3).
Paratypes: GEUS Catalogue nos 1996-PS-10 (Plate I, 5, 6), 1 996-PS- 1 1 (Plate II, 2, 3), 1 996-PS- I 2 (Plate II, 5), 1 996-PS- 13 (Plate II, 8).
Type locality: ENCI Quarry, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Type stratum: ENCI Quarry section 0.0 m, Lixhe 2 Member, upper Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous.
Diagnosis: Schioler et al. 1997, p. 89
Small spherical to subspherical proximate autocyst with a low atabulate ornament of closely spaced granulae. Numerous short broad-based solid processes arise from the phragm and taper close to their base to slender and flexible process stems. Distally the processes are acuminate or regularly or irregularly bifurcate. The archeopyle is precingular, type 2P. The operculum is typically free, and is formed by the loss of paraplates 3" and 4".
Description: Schioler et al. 1997, p. 89
The phragm is thin (ca. I ,um) and ornamented by closely spaced granulae. The ornamentation is atabulate. Numerous solid processes arise from the phragm (Plate I, 2, 6; Plate II, 3, 5, 8). The processes taper close to the phragm to form thin flexible stems and are simple acuminate or regularly or irregularly bifurcate distally on a specimen (Plate I, 2, 6). Process length vary from 2 to 5 ,um on a specimen. The archeopyle is precingular, type 2P. The operculum is typically free. The shapes of the detached opercular plates and the archaeopyle indicate that one broad camerate (gabled) plate and one narrow planate (flat-topped) plate are involved in archeopyle formation (Plate I, 4; Plate II, 2); the narrow planate plate is positioned true right of the broad camerate plate (Plate I, 5; Plate II, 2, 6). Assuming that the broad camerate plate is 3" the narrow planate plate becomes 4". The paracingulum and the parasulcus are not indicated. The paratabulation is expressed by the archeopyle margin only.
Dimensions [in µm, 19 specimens measured, dimensions given as holotype, minimum (mean) maximum]: overall diameter, 32, 30 (34) 40; process length, 4, 2 (3.5) 6.
Stratigraphic occurrence: Upper Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous of the ENCI Quarry, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Rare to frequent in the Lixhe members. absent above.
Taxonomic junior synonym: Nexosispinum? complicatum, according to Slimani (2001b, p.5).
Holotype: GEUS Catalogue No. 1996-PS-9 (Plate I, 1-3).
Paratypes: GEUS Catalogue nos 1996-PS-10 (Plate I, 5, 6), 1 996-PS- 1 1 (Plate II, 2, 3), 1 996-PS- I 2 (Plate II, 5), 1 996-PS- 13 (Plate II, 8).
Type locality: ENCI Quarry, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Type stratum: ENCI Quarry section 0.0 m, Lixhe 2 Member, upper Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous.
Diagnosis: Schioler et al. 1997, p. 89
Small spherical to subspherical proximate autocyst with a low atabulate ornament of closely spaced granulae. Numerous short broad-based solid processes arise from the phragm and taper close to their base to slender and flexible process stems. Distally the processes are acuminate or regularly or irregularly bifurcate. The archeopyle is precingular, type 2P. The operculum is typically free, and is formed by the loss of paraplates 3" and 4".
Description: Schioler et al. 1997, p. 89
The phragm is thin (ca. I ,um) and ornamented by closely spaced granulae. The ornamentation is atabulate. Numerous solid processes arise from the phragm (Plate I, 2, 6; Plate II, 3, 5, 8). The processes taper close to the phragm to form thin flexible stems and are simple acuminate or regularly or irregularly bifurcate distally on a specimen (Plate I, 2, 6). Process length vary from 2 to 5 ,um on a specimen. The archeopyle is precingular, type 2P. The operculum is typically free. The shapes of the detached opercular plates and the archaeopyle indicate that one broad camerate (gabled) plate and one narrow planate (flat-topped) plate are involved in archeopyle formation (Plate I, 4; Plate II, 2); the narrow planate plate is positioned true right of the broad camerate plate (Plate I, 5; Plate II, 2, 6). Assuming that the broad camerate plate is 3" the narrow planate plate becomes 4". The paracingulum and the parasulcus are not indicated. The paratabulation is expressed by the archeopyle margin only.
Dimensions [in µm, 19 specimens measured, dimensions given as holotype, minimum (mean) maximum]: overall diameter, 32, 30 (34) 40; process length, 4, 2 (3.5) 6.
Stratigraphic occurrence: Upper Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous of the ENCI Quarry, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Rare to frequent in the Lixhe members. absent above.