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Cordosphaeridium catherineae

Cordosphaeridium catherineae, Pearce, 2010, p.51–52, pl.1, figs.10–13; text-fig.3.

Holotype: Pearce, 2010, pl.1, figs.10–13; text-fig.3.
Type locality and horizon: Trunch borehole, Norfolk, UK; 270.9–271.0 m, Burnham–Flamborough Chalk (undifferentiated), low Gonioteuthis quadrata Zone (mid-lower Campanian).
Age: middle-late Santonian to mid–early Campanian.

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Original description: [Pearce, 2010]:

Diagnosis:
A species of Cordosphaeridium with taeniate, solid, fibrous processes that are widest proximally, narrow medially before dividing into 2–5 isolated processes of constant width that terminate in a bifurcation.

Description:
Medium-sized, chorate dinoflagellate cyst with a sub-spherical body. Wall two-layered comprised of an endophragm and fibrous periphragm that are closely appressed. Taeniate intratabular processes arise from the periphragm and appear to be solid. Processes are widest proximally (up to 14 μm), narrow medially where 2–5 isolated processes, with a relatively constant width (1 μm), are developed and terminate distally in a bifurcation. Proximal process width is directly proportional to the size of the corresponding paraplate such that the largest processes occupy the larger reflected paraplates. As a result, the pre- and postcingular processes are the widest and the process occupying the 1"" paraplate at the antapex is slender and typically the longest (33 μm); the parasulcal processes do not vary significantly in width. Occasionally, two processes may occur on a single paraplate, particularly 4'. Twenty-four to twenty-six processes define the paratabulation 4', 6", 5–6c, 5–6'", 1p, 1"", 2s (as?, ras?; Fig. 3).
The archaeopyle is precingular (Type 1P, operculum detached) and formed by the loss of the third precingular paraplate (3").
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