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Magallanesium densispinatum

Magallanesium densispinatum (Stanley, 1965, p.226-227, pl.21, figs.1-5) Quattrocchio and Sarjeant, 2003, p.140.

NOW Spinidinium. Originally (and now) Spinidinium, subsequently Magallanesium. Sluijs et al. (2009, p.47) retained this species in Spinidinium.
Taxonomic junior synonym: Spinidinium microceratum, according to Stone (1973, p.53-54).

Holotype: Stanley, 1965, pl.21, figs.1-3.
Age: Paleocene.

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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.

Spinidinium densispinatum Stanley, 1965. According to diagnosis of Stanley (1965, p.226-227), Spinidinium densispinatum has a subpentagonal pericyst in dorso-ventral view; epicyst is larger than hypocyst. Periphragm thin and usually folded, ornamented with short, rodlike, clublike, spinelike or grapple-like processes that are about 2-3 µm long. Apical horn short, conelike with a broad base and a distal pore (?); horn length 4-5 µm. Antapical horns two in number with the right one weakly developed whereas the left horn is well developed, but short; length of the latter horn is about 4-5 µm. Endocyst thin-walled, more or less circular in outline and almost fills pericyst. Often two nuclei-like bodies that are 7-8 µm in diameter are present inside the inner cyst. Cingulum distinct, border with row of spinelike appendages. Furrow wide, usually indistinct. Archeopyle when present usually polygonal. This species differs from S.styloniferum by its shorter apical horn and by its subcircular outline in dorso-ventral view. Size: pericyst length 50-65 µm, width 40-50 µm.
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Original description: Stanley, 1965, p.226
Outer cyst subpentagonal in dorso-ventral view: length 50 µm, width 40-50 µm, epitheca larger than hypotheca. Outer cyst membrane thin and usllally badly folded; ornamented with short rodlike, clublike, spinelike or grapple-like appendages that are about 2-3 µm long. Apical horn short, conelike with a broad base and a distal pore (?); horn length 4-5 µm. Antapical horns two in number with the right one weakly developed whereas the left horn is well developed, but short; length of the latter horn is about 4-5. Inner cyst thin-walled, more or less circular in outline and almost fills outer cyst. Often two nuclei-like bodies that are 7-8 µm in diameter are present inside the inner cyst. Girdle distinct; girdle border fringed by a row of spinelike appendages. Furrow wide, usually indistinct. Archeopyle, when present, usually polygonal in outline.

Affinities:
Stanley, 1965, p.227: Spinidinium densispinatum is readily differentiated from S. microceratum by its more or less subcircular outline in dorso-ventral view and by its more densely spinate membrane. Spinidinium densispinatum differs from S. styliferum Cookson and Eisenack by its shorter apical horn and by its subcircular outline in dorso-ventral view.
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