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Leipokatium invisitatum

Zonneveld, K.A.F. and Pospelova V. (2015). A determination key for modern dinoflagellate cysts. Palynology 39 (3), 387- 409.

 
dorsal view
Region: Gulf of Taranto (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)
Roman Warm Period (-10 - 10 AD)
photographs Karin Zonneveld
cross section
ventral view

Field characteristics

Leipokatium invisitatum Bradford 1975

Field characteristics:
Cyst of peridinoid shape with episome and hyposome of unequal sizes. The episome is large, usually dome-shaped, although sometimes conical, but always with convex sides. A small apical horn or, more commonly, a slight apically wall thickening can be observed sometimes. Cingulum is only represented by a line on the surface of the episome at the broadest point of the wall surface. The hyposome is very small and dorso-ventrally flattened, with or without antapical horns. Wall thickening is present at the distal edges or at the distal tips of the two small antapical horns. Polar view is circular to reniform with a small sulcal depression. The autophragm surface is usually smooth or lightly ornamented. Archeopyle is intercalary.

Dimensions: Cyst body: 31 to 56 µm in length, 37 to 80 µm in lateral width.
Motile affinity: Unknown.
Stratigraphic range: Late-Pleistocene-Recent.

Comparison with other species:
Most characteristic of this species is it large epicyst. The cingulum might be visible and often hangs over the hypocyst. The two antpical horns are small. The cell wall doesn’t contain any pines, ridges, or striae.

Geographic distribution

Geographic distribution based on :
Zonneveld et al., 2013. Atlas of modern dinoflagellate cyst distribution based on 2405 datapoints. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, v. 191, 1-197

Leipokatium invisitatum is a reare species that in the "Atlas" has been grouped with other cyst species with a brown cyst wall and a peridinioid form