Turriseiffelus invalidus, Dumitrica & Zügel, 2003

Dumitrica, Paulian & Zügel, Peter, 2003, Lower Tithonian mono- and dicyrtid Nassellaria (Radiolaria) from the Solnhofen area (southern Germany), Geodiversitas 25 (1), pp. 5-72 : 20

Turriseiffelus invalidus n. sp. ( Fig. 12A, B, D )

HOLOTYPE. — Photo No. 57101; stub Mue 22/19; Musée de Géologie , Lausanne, No. 74378 ( Fig. 12A ). ETYMOLOGY. — From the Latin invalidus : invalid, infirm, since by comparison to Eiffel Tower this species has only two feet.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Two specimens from the type horizon (sample Mue 22).

DIMENSIONS ( IN µM). — Total length 520-535, length of apical horn 210-230 (av. 220), of cephalis 65-95 (av. 85), of feet 240-320 (av. 275), total width 230- 345, width of cephalis 85-117 (av. 100).

DESCRIPTION

Test composed of a bell-shaped cephalis, an apical horn, and two feet diverging at about 60°. Proximal part of the feet connected by a skirt forming a conical thorax. Initial skeleton as described for the genus but with an arch between the primary lateral spines instead of arches between the ventral spine and the primary lateral spines. In basal view this arch forms a trapezoidal outline with the primary lateral spines. Arch not connect- ed to the ventral spine which has an upper position and which bears some branches before merging in the cephalic wall. Apical horn and feet three-bladed. Blades formed by three bars regularly aligned and connected to a central rod which represents extension of the apical and primary lateral spines respectively, leaving regular rectangular pores. Two blades of the apical horn connected to the outer blades of the feet and to the arches AL. The inner blades of the feet are connected to the slightly curved thoracic skirt. Usually well preserved blades of apical horn and external blades of feet with two ranges of thorns.

Apart from the connection zone to feet, thoracic skirt formed by a dense meshwork of small bars, mostly resulting in rosette-like structures. Part of cephalic and thoracic wall usually double-layered, both layers with rosette-like structures. Distalmost parts of feet splitted off to thorn-like projections, as the three bars aligned to the central rod diverge.

REMARKS

Turriseiffelus invalidus n. gen., n. sp. differs from Turriseiffelus invalidissimus n. gen., n. sp. mainly by the presence of only one row of pores along apical horn and feet. It differs from both T. invalidissimus n. gen., n. sp. and T. yaoi n. gen., n. sp. by the practical absence of arches VL, presence of an arch LL, and by a bunch of spines at the distal end of feet. Minor differences concern the presence of a dense, thin-layered cephalic wall in T. invalidus n. gen., n. sp.

Figures

FIG. 12. — A, B, D, Turriseiffelus invalidus n. gen., n. sp.; A, holotype; B, D, paratypes; D, basal view of initial spicule and arches; C, E, Turriseiffelus sp.; C, right lateral view; E, basal view showing details of the initial spicule and arches. Scale bars: A, B, 100 µm; C, 30 µm; D, E, 10 µm.