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Palaecysta complicata

Palaecysta complicata (Neale and Sarjeant 1962, p.455–456, pl.19, figs.6–7) Williams and Fensome, 2016, p.140.

Originally Systematophora, subsequently (and now) Palaecysta.
This combination was not validly published in Chen (2013, p.290), since that author did not fully reference the basionym.

Holotype: Neale and Sarjeant, 1962, pl.19, figs.6–7; Fauconnier and Masure, 2004, pl.75, figs.7–8.
Age: late Hauterivian–mid Barremian.

Original diagnosis: Neale and Sarjeant, 1962, p.454
A species of Systematophora having an ellipsoidal shell, of which one pole is lost in pylome formation. The shell is thick and very minutely granular. The processes within each cluster are strong and of moderate length; they may be linked to adjacent processes at their bases or by trabeculae at about half length; they may bifurcate at any level and constantly bifurcate or ramify at their distal extremity, their branches being frequently confluent with those of adjacent processes. Some processes widen in antler-like fashion distally and are perforate. The arrangement of clusters is: Epitheca--dorsal, 4 small clusters; ventral, 3 small clusters. Equator--?5 elongate areas, very poorly marked. Hypotheca--dorsal, 3 clusters; ventral, 4 clusters. Antapex--?1 Iarge cluster. Structure of apex not known.

Original description: Neale and Sarjeant, 1962, p.454
The shell and processes are brownish-yellow. In pylome formation, breakage occurs along an irregular line, the upper third of the shell being lost. The process clusters are so complex as to be incapable of verbal description; their nature is best seen from the accompanying Text-figure (Text-fig. 9).
Dimensions: Type; overall length 72.5 µm, breadth 67µm, shell length 42µm (upper third missing), breadth 38.5µm.

Affinities:
Neale and Sarjeant, 1962, p. 454: Systematophora complicata sp. nov. differs from all described species in the nature and spacing of its process clusters. In arrangement, these correspond with those of S. orbifera Klement, 1960, but in the latter species the spines are widely spaced, bifurcate and linked only at their bases. S. orbifera differs also in its possession of a circular pylome with a smooth margin.

Remarks, Chen, 2013:
All the specimens illustrated in the articles cited above show arcuate process clusters in the pre- and postcingular series, together with many characteristics common to Palaecysta. They are, thus, herein transferred to this genus.
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