Late Neogene Lophophaenidae (Nassellaria, Radiolaria) from the eastern equatorial Pacific
Author
Trubovitz, Sarah
Author
Renaudie, Johan
Author
Lazarus, David
Author
Noble, Paula
text
Zootaxa
2022
2022-07-04
5160
1
1
158
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5160.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.5160.1.1
11755334
10544058
A9179C79-EE43-44E4-8723-919505500049
Lithomelissa babai
n. sp.
Plate 18,
Figs. 1A
–
5B
.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:
2B2D2DC5-3F5E-4BB8-B39A-795A513F78A2
unknown plagonid group C sp 27,
Trubovitz
et al.
, 2020
, supplementary data 7.
Diagnosis.
Lithomelissa
with a hemispherical cephalis exhibiting multiple long conical spines, and a cylindrical thorax that is slightly wider than the cephalis.
Description.
The cephalis of this species is hemispherical in shape, and is very strongly silicified with large, framed pores. This species has several long, conical spines on the cephalis. These are easily broken off, but often at least two are preserved and our specimens showed up to six spines. One of the cephalic horns is connected to the apical spine, which is free within the cephalis like all
Lithomelissa
species.
This apical horn is most often thin and conical like the others, but it can apparently develop into a stronger, tri-bladed horn in some individuals. The thorax is cylindrical in shape and is always wider than the cephalis. There are enlarged pores at the top of the thorax, near the connection to the cephalis. The dorsal and lateral spines protrude slightly through the wall of the thorax, but do not form long appendages.
Remarks.
This species differs from
Lithomelissa dybbuki
n. sp.
(Pl. 19,
Figs. 1–7
) in that it is larger overall, and has more spines on the cephalis. The collar structure is sunken into the thorax, so the species does not have a constriction at the base of the cephalis, differentiating it from
Lithomelissa mitra
(Pl. 15,
Figs. 4A
–
6
),
L. celsagula
(Pl. 15,
Figs. 1A
–
2B
),
L. alkonost
n. sp.
(Pl. 16,
Figs. 1A
–
7B
), and
L. sirin
n. sp.
(Pl. 17,
Figs. 1
–11B).
Material examined.
42 specimens
observed from samples 321-1337A-10H-2,
91–94cm
(Early Pliocene), 321-1337A-7H-
6, 104–107cm
(Early Pliocene), 321-1337A-6H-3,
29–32cm
(Late Pliocene), 321-1337A-5H-5,
11–14cm
(Late Pliocene), 321-1337A-4H-2,
16–19cm
(Middle Pleistocene), 321-1337A-3H-
2, 103–106cm
(Middle Pleistocene), and 321-1337D-1H-1,
0–3cm
(Recent).
Holotype
.
Pl. 18, Figs. 1A–C; sample
321-1337A-7H-6
, 104–
107cm
; ECO-143; C26-3.
Paratypes
.
(1) Pl. 18, fig. 2; sample 321-1337A-7H-
6, 104–107cm
; ECO-143; U30-1. (2) Pl. 18, figs. 3A–B; sample 321-1337A-7H-
6, 104–107cm
; ECO-133; G15-3. (3) Pl. 18, figs. 4A–B; sample 321-1337A-7H-
6, 104– 107cm
; ECO-133; X24-4. (4) Pl. 18, figs. 5A–B; sample 321-1337A-7H-
6, 104–107cm
; ECO-134; K38-2. (5) [not figured] sample 321-1337A-7H-
6, 104–107cm
; ECO-135; F37-4. (6) [not figured] sample 321-1337A-7H-
6, 104–107cm
; ECO-134; G27-1.
Measurements.
Height of cephalis 36–43 (39)μm; width of cephalis 32–41 (36)μm; width of thorax at shoulder area 46–59 (51)μm.
Etymology.
Named for the boogeyman in Russian folklore, Babai.
Range.
Early Pliocene–Recent, EEP (
Table 1
).