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Giraffospyris laterispina
Goll, 1969
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Description - Add description
GIRAFFOSPYRIS LATERISPINA n. sp. Goll 1969 p. 334; pl. 58, fig. 15, 16, 20, 21
Sagittal ring subcircular; 69 to 87μm high; 46 to 62μm thick; joined directly to front, apex, and back of lattice shell. Frontal and axial spines short; vertical spine very short, arising from lower quarter of sagittal ring. Some specimens have short apical spine; other skeletons lack apical spine. Primary-lateral bars joined to basal ring; no other connector bars. Basal ring oval, having sagittal and lateral indentations; 56 to 97μm wide; 30 to 46 μm thick; joined directly to front and back of sagittal ring; encloses four basal pores. Of the three symmetrical pairs of laterally directed basal spines that project from basal ring, one pajr is adjacent to the primary-lateral bars; one pair is at front of basal ring; and one pair is at back of basal ring. Lattice shell 92 to 128 μm wide; strongly constricted sagittally; not extending below basal ring; has appearance of thin, smooth sheet perforated by subcircular lattice pores 31to 37μm in diameter. Variable number of lattice bars joined to sagittal or basal rings. In some specimens, sagittal-lattice pores adjacent to front and back of basal ring are three to five times the size of the apical pairs of sagittal-lattice pores. In some skeletons, pairs of short sagittal-ring spines are observed at points of contact of sagittal ring and lattice bars. No frontal, vertical, or sternal pores.
Diagnosis:
A species of Giraffospyris that lacks lattice spines and sagittal-ring tubercles and characterized by an axial spine.
Remarks:
Representatives of Giraffospyris laterispina, n. sp., differ from those of Dendrospyris damaecornis, D. binapertonis Goll, and Tholospyris scaphipes in having axial spines. Skeletons of the type-species of Giraffospyris, G. didiceros, have lattice-shell tubercles, two to five basal spines that project downward from the basal ring, and lack an axial spine.
Occurrence:
Representatives of Giraffospyris laterispina are in all samples above RIS 102G, 78-81 cm. (upper Miocene).
Holotype:
USNM 650372, from core sample MSN 143P, 890-892 cm. (middle Pliocene).
Pictures:
15, 16, 20, 21—Giraffospyris lalerispina Goll, n. sp. Basal, back, left-side, and front views, respectively, of holotype; USNM 650372. core sample MSN 143P. 890-892cm. X300
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