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Tripocyclia tortuosa

Protozoa - Xiphostylidae

Discussion

Named by P. Dumitrica, S. Gorican & P. Whalen.

Original description: Cortical shell subspherical with three triradiate spines at approximately 120 to each other. Meshwork of cortical shell delicate, composed of thin bars forming a dense spongy pattern arranged in concentric layers. Superficial layer of mature specimens with small but distinct nodes. Spines long, dextrally torsioned, with pointed tip; degree of torsion and length of torsioned portion variable.

Original remarks: Tripocyclia tortuosa n. sp. differs from other related species by having torsioned spines. From Spongotripus incomptus Carter 1988 it further differs by having much longer spines and a less dense and triangular test. In the structure of the nodose shell surface, Tripocyclia tortuosa n. sp. is the most similar to Alievium juskatlaensis Carter 1988 but the latter species has straight spines. Our specimens are not well enough preserved to make equatorial sections in order to know the structure of the microsphere, but specimens with a superficially similar test and very slightly torsioned spines from the Bajocian of Japan (sample IN 7 of Yao, 1997) show in their center a microsphere similar to that of Paronaella.

Etymology: From Latin: tortuosus, -a, -um - tortuous, referring to torsioned spines.

Taxonomy
Tripocyclia tortuosa was named by Gorican et al. (2006). Its type specimen is BR523-R02-04 (pl. SPT01, fig. 1) and is a 3D body fossil.

Sister species lacking formal opinion data

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2006Tripocyclia tortuosa Gorican et al. p. 390 figs. Pl. SPT01

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RankNameAuthor
Life
Eukaryota()
classProtozoaGoldfuss 1820
subphylumSarcodinaSchmarda 1871
classReticulareaLankester 1885
subclassRadiolaria(Müller 1858)
RankNameAuthor
superorderPolycystina(Ehrenberg 1838)
superfamilyActinommaceaHaeckel 1862
familyXiphostylidaeHaeckel 1881
genusTripocycliaHaeckel 1881
speciestortuosa

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Tripocyclia tortuosa Gorican et al. 2006
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Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available