Saitoum ambiguum, 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 : 23

Saitoum ambiguum n. sp. ( Fig. 14 A-D)

HOLOTYPE. — Photo No. 58130, 58131; stub Mue 22/20; Musée de Géologie , Lausanne, No. 74379 ( Fig. 14A, B ).

ETYMOLOGY. — From the Latin ambiguus: ambiguous.

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

DIMENSIONS ( IN µM). — Length of cephalis 45-65 (av. 55), of feet 35-50 (av. 45), of apical horn 35, of ventral or secondary lateral spines 12-14, width of cephalis 55-75 (av. 65).

DESCRIPTION

Cephalis very small, globular. Initial skeleton with well marked arches AV and AL. Apical horn long, three-bladed. Wall of cephalis thin, rather smooth, with rounded pores of very variable size. Ventral spine and secondary lateral spines of the initial spicule prolonged outside cephalic wall into short, three-bladed spines. Axobate short but present. Feet curved, threebladed, strongly diverging. Due to the arches of the initial skeleton the spines V and l have one blade upward directed, and the feet one blade downward directed.

REMARKS

The systematic position of this species is uncertain. Morphologically it resembles the species of Saitoum but has the secondary lateral spines extended outside which is a character of the genus Takoum . However, Takoum has no arch AV.

Figures

FIG. 14. — A-D, Saitoum ambiguum n. sp.; A, B, holotype, latero-ventral and basal views respectively; C, D, paratype, dorsal and basal views showing the two secondary lateral spines extended outside wall; E-G, Saitoum bicorniculatum n. sp.; E, F, holotype, right lateral and basal views showing the long ventral spine and the dorsally displaced apical horn; G, paratype, left lateral view; H-J, Saitoum curtipes n. sp.; H, holotype, ventral view; I, J, paratypes; I, specimen with remnants of velum; J, basal view; K-M, Saitoum(?) delicatum n. sp.; K, holotype, ventral view showing a constriction along arch AV; L, M, paratypes; L, basal view showing remnants of velum; M, right lateral view showing a constriction along arch Al. Abbreviations: A, apical spine; l, secondary lateral spine; V, ventral spine. Scale bars: 30 µm.