Original descriptions of taxa. For coccolithophores, and many calcispheres, these are pages from the Farinacci & Howe Catalog of Calcareous Nannofossils. In other cases (e.g. non-calcifying haptophytes) the data is directly compiled on this site. The "Catalogue of Calcareous Nannofossils" was originally compiled by Prof A. Farinacci 1969-1989, since 2000 it has been updated and extended by Richard Howe - see The Farinacci and Howe Catalog - an Introduction.
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Citation: Chrysochromulina ephippium Parke&Manton in Parke et al. 1956Taxonomic rank: speciesDescribed on page(s) : 398-406Type sample (& lithostrat): Type culture (Plymouth no. 31) deposited with the Type Culture Collection, Cambridge; preserved material and photographs lodged with the Marine Biological Association, Plymouth, England.Type locality: The sea at position (Plymouth Laboratory Station L4) Lat. N. 50° 0 15'j Long. W. 4 13' (13 Sept. 1950, type culture) from a townet sample.Farinacci catalog page (& compiler): n/a Current citation: Chrysochromulina ephippium Parke and Manton in Parke et al. 1956
Original Description Motile cells showing considerable metabply, approximately saddle-shaped when moving slowly or stationary, bell-shaped to spheroidal when swimming rapidly, 6-10 (exceptionally 4-5-12) µm in size (length of back of saddle). Two flagella and one haptonema arising close together from the ventral concave surface near to one margin in a centre line; flagella equal, smooth, gradually attenuated to a hair point (E. M. observation), usually heterodynamic, occasionally appearing homodynamic, 3 to 4 times cell size in length; the haptonema, thinner than the flagella, 12 to 14 (exceptionally 16) times body size in length when fully extended, a club-shaped tip but no obvious translucent sheath visible with the electron microscope. The periplast, pectic in nature, showing a covering of very thin transparent circular to oval sculptured, dimorphic scales, visible only under the electron miscroscope. Scales with- out spines 0.5-0.7 µm, with a pattern of radiating ridges on one side and crossed striations within a wide raised rim on the other. Scales with spines 0.3-0.6 µm, with a pattern of radiating ridges on the side towards the body and a narrow raised rim surrounding concentric markings on the outer side, the slender tapering spine, approximately equal to scale diameter in length, attached by 4 decurrent ridges extending to scale margin. Distribution of two types of scales on body unknown.
Cells uninucleate, no stigma. Chromatophores appearing striated, 1 or 2, pale golden brown; in cells of motile phase parietal, saucer-shaped to oblong, with a single inconspicuous globular body (pyrenoid?) placed eccentrically on inner face of each; in cells of non-motile phase coarsely lobed. Oil and leucosin produced. Ejectile muciferous bodies small, localized in groups in peripheral cytoplasm, but their position changing with the metaboly of the body. Nutrition phototrophic and/or phagotrophic. Not toxic to fish.
In motile phase asexual reproduction by fission into two daughter-cells, usuallyofequalsize. In non-motile phase by successive fission of amoeboid cells to produce 4 ovate daughter-cells with very thin walls; motile phase almost certainly liberated from walled daughter-cells through a pore. Etymology: GREEK ephippion—a saddle
References:
Manton, I. (1983). Nanoplankton from the Galapagos Islands: Chrysochromulina discophora sp. nov. (Haptophyceae = Prymnesiophyceae) another species with exceptionally large scales. Botanica Marina. 26: 15-22. gs
Parke, M., Manton, I. & Clarke, B. (1956). Studies on marine flagellates. III. Three further species of Chrysochromulina. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 35: 387-414. gs
Chrysochromulina ephippium: Catalog entry compiled by Jeremy Young. Viewed: 17-2-2025