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 ericina Parke & Manton in Parke et al., 1956Taxonomic rank: speciesDescribed on page(s) : 391-398Type sample (& lithostrat): Type culture (Plymouth no. 25) 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' Long. W. 4 13' (15 May. 1950, type culture) at surface.Type repository: MBAFarinacci catalog page (& compiler): n/a Current citation: Haptolina ericina (Parke and Manton in Parke et al. 1956) Edvardsen & Eikrem, in Edvardsen et al., 2011
Original Description Motile cells usually ovoidal to nearly oblong, very slightly flattened in one plane, showing marked metaboly, 6-10 (exceptionally 5-12) µm in length, 5-8 (exceptionally 4-10) µm in breadth; flagellar pole obliquely truncated with a slight, almost central depression. Two flagella and one haptonema arising close together not quite centrally from the depression: the flagella equal, homodynamic, 2-2.5 times body length, smooth, gradually attenuated to a small knob (E. M. observation); the haptonema thinner than the flagella, 4-5 times body length when fully extended with a small basal swelling, a club-shaped tip but no clearly marked translucent sheath obvious under the electron microscope. The periplast of a pectic nature covered by very thin transparent, sculptured, dimorphic scales, details visible only under the electron microscope. Scales without spines very numerous, 0.5x0.6 to 0.7 x 0.9 µm, with a pattern of radiating ridges on one side and a slightly raised rim surrounding irregular crossed striations on the other. Spined scales, 28-30 in number, the spine abruptly truncated and slightly tapering, 9-12 (exceptionally 15) µm long, 0.2-0.3 µm wide, arising from a circular (or conical?) base, 1-1.4 µm. wide, marked with concentric striations on its outer side.
Cells uninucleate, no stigma. Chromatophores usually 2 or 4, sometimes 6 or 8, deep golden brown; in motile phase saucer-shaped, ellipsoid, or oblong, frequently bifid towards non-flagellar pole, parietal, with a single globular body (pyrenoid?) on inner face placed near margin towards the non-flagellar pole; in non-motile phase deeply lobed or stellate. Oil and leucosin produced. Ejectile muciferous bodies generally distributed in peripheral cytoplasm. Nutrition phototrophic and/or phagotrophic. Non-toxic to fish.
In motile phase asexual reproduction by fission into 2 daughter-cells of equal or unequal size; in non-motile phase reproduction (asexual?) by successive fission of amoeboid cells to produce 4 ovate daughter-cells with walls, walls faintly brownish and slightly rugose on the exterior; motile phase probably liberated from walled daughter-cells through a pore. Etymology: Latin Ericinus—like a hedgehog
References:
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 ericina: Catalog entry compiled by Jeremy Young. Viewed: 17-2-2025