Ephydatia fossilis Traxler, 1894
|
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.4202/app.00354.2017 |
|
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A93569-FFCD-B660-FCAC-FB724E9BF64A |
|
treatment provided by |
Felipe |
|
scientific name |
Ephydatia fossilis Traxler, 1894 |
| status |
|
Ephydatia fossilis Traxler, 1894 View in CoL
Fig. 21 View Fig .
Type horizon: Sarmatian, Miocene.
Type locality: lake sediments, limestone from Dubrovica deposits.
Other occurrences: Pliocene of Bory, Slovakia; lignite from Chambon, Central France; brackish deposit of Kevna Bremia, Romania.
References: Traxler 1894; Firtion 1944.
Description (emended from Traxler 1894).—Freshwater sponge spicules and freshwater diatoms. Megascleres oxeas very variable in size (160–350 × 5–20 μm), straight or slightly curved, gradually pointed, smooth or covered with small spines sometimes with a swelling in the middle; some skittle-like tips. Spicules short and thin, straight or curved, and sometimes with a swelling in the middle also present. Gemmuloscleres birotules stout, very variable in size and shape (41–69 μm in length, rotules 16–26 μm in diameter; shaft 12–16 × 6–8 μm). Rotules with indented margins (9– 14 teeth), in places with central axial spine but, usually, with only a hemispherical protuberance (umbone). The different sizes and structures of the birotules could give the impression that they belong to different sponge species.
Description (emended from Firtion 1944).—The lignite from Chambon ( France), includes freshwater sponge spicules in groups. No megascleres. Gemmuloscleres birotules
B3
B4
56–70 μm in length; ca. 2.5 times the diameter of the rotules) with shaft (5.6–7 μm in thickness), straight or weakly curved, sometime with a slight swelling. Rotules with indented margins, equal to sub-equal (22.3–25.5 μm in diameter). Shaft with numerous strong spines (6.1–7.6 μm in length), straight and perpendicular to axis. The diatomite of the brackish deposit from Kevna Bremia ( Romania), includes spicules and particularly birotules stout, large straight or curved, with strong spines (64.36–69.02 μm in length, shaft 7.14–8.23 μm in thickness). Rotules (26.18–28.66 μm in diameter) equally developed and with incised margins.
Remarks.— Traxler (1894) reports that the spicular complement (oxeas and birotules) of this species (particularly birotules) is different from all freshwater sponges. Moreover fossil remains from the two deposits are very similar, although in the Bory sample birotules are more abundant. The most close living species to Ephydatia fossilis is E. robusta Potts, 1888 ) previously Mejenia subdivisa . In the Firtion 1944) opinion, the spicules described by Traxler (1894) are comparable in all respects with the birotules of the Chambon lignite, and must be ascribed to E. fossilis .
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.