Lithomelissa sp. C

Trubovitz, Sarah, Renaudie, Johan, Lazarus, David & Noble, Paula, 2022, Late Neogene Lophophaenidae (Nassellaria, Radiolaria) from the eastern equatorial Pacific, Zootaxa 5160 (1), pp. 1-158 : 47

Lithomelissa sp. C group?

Plate 20, Figs. 6A – 7C .

unknown plagonid group C sp 38, partim., Trubovitz et al., 2020, supplementary data 7.

Remarks. This morphotype was originally grouped with another morphotype as Unknown plagonid group C sp 38 in Trubovitz et al. (2020). However, the other morphotype has a lobed cephalis, suggesting that it belongs in a different genus, possibly Euscenarium , while the morphotype we figure here appears to fit the definition of Lithomelissa . The cephalis of this species is more typical of Lithomelissa in its overall shape and the characteristic of the apical spine passing freely through the cephalis. The spines on the thorax protrude well above the base of the shell, so cannot be considered “feet,” in contrast to the other morphotype observed in Trubovitz et al. (2020). This group may possibly include two different species, but here we group them until more specimens can be observed to determine the morphological variability.

Material examined. 2 specimens observed from Late Miocene samples 321-1337D-23H- 6, 134–137cm and 321-1337A-18H-6, 77–80cm.

Range. Late Miocene, EEP ( Table 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Internal skeletal structure of Arachnocorallium calvata (Haeckel, 1887) Petrushevskaya, 1971.

FIGURE 7. Internal skeletal structure of Arachnocorys umbellifera (Haeckel, 1862) Petrushevskaya, 1971.