Named by Dumitrica.
Original description: Test monocyrtid, hemispherical to subglobular with an initial spicule consisting of apical (A), dorsal (D), ventral (V), and primary lateral spines (Lr, Ll) originating in a short median bar (MB), and arches LL, LD, LV, AV, AL, and AD. A spine extended outside into apical horn, and D and L into feet. Apical horn and feet four-bladed and practically equal, at least in type species. Blades with a row of three or more pores decreasing in size distally. Pores aligned between the axis of apical horn and feet and the external border of blades. Ventral spine of initial spicule extended outside cephalic wall into a short bladed spine.
Original remarks: Carterwhalenia n. gen. externally resembles Saitulpus Dumitrica & Zgel from which it differs structurally especially in missing the secondary lateral spines of the initial spicule. By this character it also resembles very much the Cenozoic genera Euscenium Haeckel, Archiscenium Haeckel, and Pteroscenium Haeckel. From each it differs in having four-bladed rather than three-bladed spines. Carterwhalenia is close to the Middle and Upper Jurassic genus Turriseiffelus Dumitrica & Zgel, in the structure of the initial spicule, apical horn, feet, and cephalic wall, but differs in having four-bladed, short apical horn and feet.
The pores of the blades of the apical horn and feet of this genus have the same origin as similar pores of the genera Turriseiffelus, Pteroscenium (e.g. Pteroscenium pinnatum Haeckel 1887, pl. 53, figs. 14-16), and Arachnoplecta Dumitrica & Zgel 2003. They appear as meshes among the axis of these spines, a bar forming the external margin of the blades and branches arising practically perpendicular from the axis of the spines. Usually these branches may extend into thorns outside the margin of the blades.
Until present the genus is represented only by its type species.
Etymology: The genus is named for my radiolarian colleagues E. S. Carter and P. A. Whalen to honour their valuable contribution to the knowledge of Upper Triassic and Lower Jurassic radiolarians.
Full reference: S. Gorican, E. S. Carter, P. Dumitrica, P. A. Whalen, R. S. Hori, P. De Wever, L. O'Dogherty, A. Matsuoka, and J. Guex. 2006. Catalogue and systematics of Pliensbachian, Toarcian and Aalenian radiolarian genera and species 446
Parent taxon: Nassellaria according to S. Gorican et al. 2006
Sister taxa: Abnormisphaera, Acanthodesmiacea, Acerahedrina, Acerocanium, Acidnomelos, Acotripus, Acropyramididae, Adelocyrtis, Afens, Amphipyndacea, Anisicyrtiidae, Anthocyrtoma, Archaeodictyomitracea, Archaeosemantidae, Archeeucyrtis, Archicorys, Archocyrtiidae, Ares, Artoperina, Artostrobium, Ayrtonius, Barbutidae, Bathrocalpis, Belleza, Botryocella, Calyptocoryphe, Canelonus, Canesium, Cephalopyramis, Cladospyris, Clathrospyris, Collicyrtidium, Confiroma, Corocalyptra, Cortiniscus, Crubidae, Cryptocapsa, Cryptopora, Cuniculiformiidae, Cyrtocalpis, Cyrtoidea, Deflandrecyrtiidae, Dendrocircus, Diacanthocapsidae, Dictyospyris, Dipodospyris, Distylocapsa, Eucyrtidiacea, Eucyrtidiellidae, Ewingella, Farcidae, Favosyringium, Foremanellinidae, Foremania, Foremaniella, Globolaxtorum, Glycobotrys, Haliphormis, Heloringulum, Hexapylocapsidae, Hilarisiregidae, Homeoarchicorys, Hsuuidae, Japonocampe, Kassina, Krempelinella, Kuppelella, Laxuscingula, Lithobotrys, Lithocampana, Lithocarpium, Lithomitra, Lithornithium, Livarellidae, Lophoconus, Lophocorys, Lophophaenidae, Lychnodictyum, Minutusolla, Monosera, Morosyringium, Mostlericyrtium, Muellericyrtiidae, Nabolellidae, Nabollellidae, Nebespecha, Neosciadiocapsidae, Octotympanum, Perseus, Phaenocalpis, Phaenoscenium, Phormocampe, Plagiacanthidae, Plagionium, Plagoniidae, Platycryphalus, Plectopyramis, Podocoronis, Popofskyellidae, Poulpidae, Pseudosaturniformidae, Quarkus, Quasipetosus, Religa, Ruesticyrtiidae, Salpingocapsa, Sanfilippoellidae, Schadelfussdlerus, Senelella, Sethocapsidae, Sethocyrtis, Sethodiscus, Sethoperidae, Sethopilium, Siphocampium, Solidea, Sphaerospyris, Spinomersinellidae, Spirocampe, Spongomelissa, Spyrida, Stampfliellidae, Stephaniscus, Stichocampe, Stichocapsidae, Stichophormis, Stylocryptocapsa, Syringium, Telacapsulidae, Tertoniidae, Tetrarrhabda, Tetraspinocyrtiidae, Theocapsa, Theophormis, Trexus, Triassocampidae, Triassocyrtium, Tricolocampe, Tripedurnulidae, Tripilidium, Tripocalpis, Tripocyrtis, Tripodiscium, Tripodonium, Tripodospyris, Tripophaenoscenium, Trissopilium, Ultranaporidae, Urocyrtis, Williriedellidae, Windalia, Xipha, Xiphothecaellidae
Subtaxa: Carterwhalenia minai
Type: Saitoum minai
Ecology: passively mobile planktonic omnivore
Distribution:
• Jurassic of Mexico (2 collections)
Total: 2 collections each including a single occurrence
Specimen images are retrieved through the ePANDDA API.
Click image to enlarge. Click to access iDigBio record.