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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Original Description Obliquipithonelloid dinoflagellate cysts, characterised by a hexagonal apical and antapical face. From the margins of the apical face six quadrangular faces are developed which are bordering the corresponding margins of the also hexagonal antapical face. The apical face displays a centered archaeopyle. Etymology: Latin, melis, honey; Latin,
domuncula, little house. With reference to the
shape, which resembles the chamber of a honey
bee. Extra details from original publication Remarks: Melodomuncula differs from Praecalcigonellum Keupp et Versteegh, 1989 by having a more reduced tabulation and an obliquipi- thonelloid rather than an orthopithonelloid crystal orientation in the outer wall of the cyst. Gonellum Keupp, 1987 differs by having only five large prismatic fields corresponding with the fused equiv- alences of pre- and postcingular plate cycles. Both cysts may be the result of a convergent evolutionary development. Thus far, the type species is the only representative of the genus.
References:
Keupp, H. & Versteegh, G. J. M. (1989). Ein neues systematisches Konzept fuer kalkige Dinoflagellaten-Zysten der Subfamilie Orthopithonelloideae Keupp 1987. Berliner Geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen. A106(207-219): -. gs
Versteegh, G. J. M. (1993). New Pliocene and Pleistocene calcareous dinoflagellate cysts from Southern Italy and Crete. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. 78: 353-380. gs
Melodomuncula: Catalog entry compiled by <% compiler %>. Viewed: 13-4-2026
