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Valensiella

From Williams et al., 2017:

[Valensiella, Eisenack, 1963a, p. 100–101; Emendation: Courtinat, 1989, p. 182.

Tax. jr. syn.: Cassiculosphaeridia, according to Courtinat (1989, p.182) — however, Slimani (1994, p.98) retained Cassiculosphaeridia.

Type species: originally as Membranilarnax ovulum, Deflandre, 1947d (text-fig. 22)] ; Valensiella ovulum, Eisenack, 1963

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Original description: [Eisenack, 1963a]: (Translation: Stover and Evitt, 1978, p. 86):

Diagnosis:
Shell oval or ellipsoidal, covered with a system of relatively thick crests, which form more or less irregular polygons on the shell. In optical section the crests appear like branched processes, which may be present as such in some cases. A thin membrane borne by the system of crests surrounds the inner shell.

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Modified description:

Stover and Evitt 1978, p. 86:

Synopsis:
Cysts proximate, holocavate, ellipsoidal; autophragm rugulate to reticulate, and enclosed by continuous ectophragm; archeopyle apical, Type tA.

Description:
Shape: Ellipsoidal.
Wall relationships: Cysts holocavate, ectophragm thinner than autophragm, continuous, and supported by rugulae or muri of reticulum.
Wall features: No parsutural features. Autophragm rugulate to reticulate; lumina circular to polygonal, varied in size and shape.
Paratabulation: Indicated by archeopyle only.
Archeopyle: Apical, Type tA; principal archeopyle suture zigzag and may have deep parasulcal notch; operculum free.
Paracingulum: Generally not indicated, or indicated feebly by faint transverse alignment of rugulae or muri.
Parasulcus: Not indicated.
Size: Small to intermediate.

Affinities:
Valensiella differs from Ellipsoidictyum in having an ectophragm, which Ellipsoidictyum lacks. Scriniocassis is similar to Valensiella but has a precingular instead of an apical archeopyle.

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Emended description:


Courtinat, 1989: (Translation: LPP):

Diagnosis:
Proximate, spherical to ovoidal cyst, composed of an autophragm only or a connected endophragm and periphragm. The cyst surface presents a reticulation formed by generally ill-developed septa. The reticulum is more or less complete; in some cases the cyst surface is incompletely reticulate.
The archaeopyle is apical; the operculum is free, multiplated.
No paratabulation element is visible except for the archaeopyle and the form of the operculum which suggests 4 apical paraplates.

Affinities:
Valensiella differs from the genus Ellipsoidictyum in the absence of all traces of paratabulation. In the genus Ellipsoidictyum, the paracingulum and parasulcus are clearly visible. On the other hand, the septa in Ellipsoidictyum are sutural and non-tabular, whilst they are non-tabular in Valensiella.


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Notes:

G.L. Williams short notes on species, Mesozoic-Cenozoic dinocyst course, Urbino, Italy, May 17-22, 1999 - LPP VIEWER CD-ROM 99.5.

Valensiella, Eisenack, 1963a, emend. Courtinat, 1989. Emendation from Courtinat (1989, p.182). Proximate, spherical to ovoidal cyst, composed of autophragm only or connected endophragm and periphragm. The cyst surface is reticulate formed from generally poorly developed septa. The reticulum is more or less complete, in some cases the cyst surface is incompletely reticulate. Archeopyle apical, operculum free, multiplated. Nor paratabulation visible except for archeopyle and the form of the operculum which suggests four apical paraplates.
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