Emended description:Saturnalinae dépourvu (1) de rayons auxiliaires et subsidiaires et (2) d'épines à proximité de l'axe polaire. Les épines sont regroupées à proximité d'un axe perpendiculaire à l'axe polaire et ont tendance à être perpendiculaires à cet axe polaire.
[Saturnalinae without (1) auxiliary and subsidiary rays, and (2) spines close to the polar axis. Spines grouped near the axis orthogonal to the polar axis, and perpendicular to the polar axis.]
Remarks:Acanthocircus diffère (1) de Mesosaturnalis et Parasaturnalis par l'absence d'épines péripolaires, (2) de Kozurastrum par l'absence d'épines péripolaires et de rayons auxiliaires et subsidiaires, (3) des autres Saturnalides par l'absence d'épine polaire. Vitorfus Pessagno, 1977c, est probablement synonyme, la seule différence résidant en un hyperdéveloppement relatif de la coque par rapport à l'anneau, celui-ci étant donc partiellement inclus dans la coque. Ceci ne m'apparaît pas un critère suffisant pour différencier ni un genre ni, à plus forte raison, une famille (Vitorfidae Pessagno, 1977c). Tout au plus peut-on y distinguer, éventuellement, un sous-genre.
[Acanthocircus differs from - (1) Mesosaturnalis and Parasaturnalis by having no peripolar spines, - (2) Kozurastrum by having no peripolar spines and auxiliary/subsidiary rays, - (3) other saturnalids by having no polar spine. Vitorfus Pessagno (1977c) is a likely synonym because the only difference is an hyper-develoment of the shell compared to the ring, this one being partially included in the shell. This characteristic does not seem to be sufficient to erect a new genus, and more, a new family (Vitorfidae, Pessagno, 1977). Maybe a new sub-genus could be distinguished.]
Stratigraphic range:Triassic. Cretaceous. Mesozoic.
Subsequent descriptions:?

Comments:Definition, remarks and included species are a literal English translation of De Wever, 1984b, p.17.
Subsequent descriptions:?

- SPONGOSATURNALISCampbell and Clark - PALAEOSATURNALISDonofrio and Mostler - MESOSATURNALIS Kozur and Mostler

Revised description:Saturnalids with bladed or unbladed ring. These carina can be more or less developed within the same species. Saturnalids normally have numerous auxiliary spines radiating from the periphery of the ring. Auxiliary spines may be conical or triangular. Ring generally bilaterally symmetrical with circular to subrectangular cross-section, and subcircular, elliptical, or rectangular in outline. Shell globular to cylindrical, quite spongy, with numerous concentric layers. Ring connected to the shell by means of two polar spines.
Remarks:This genus is distinguished from Dicerosaturnalis by possessing numerous auxiliary spines radiating from the outer ring instead of two spines axially at either narrow end. Moreover, the latter genus may develop a triangular button on the distal end of the elliptical ring, which is absent in Acanthocircus.
Stratigraphic range:Late Valanginian to Maastrichtian. Early to Late Cretaceous. Mesozoic.
Subsequent descriptions:?

Literature cited:
- De Wever, P. (1984a). Révision des radiolaires mésozoiques de type Saturnalidae, proposition d'une nouvelle classification (Revision of Mesozoic saturnalid-type radiolarians. Proposition of a new classification). Revue de Micropaléontologie 27(1): 10-19.
- De Wever, P. and I. Origlia (1984). Klassifikatsiya saturnalid na osnove ikh simmetry (A classification of saturnalid type forms based on symmetry). Morfologiya, ekologiya i evolutsiya Radiolyarii. Materialy IV simpoziuma evropeiskikh radiolyaristov EURORAD IV (Morphology, ecology and evolution of radiolarians. Material from the IV symposium of European radiolarists EURORAD IV). M. G. Petrushevskaya and S. D. Stepanjants. Leningrad, USSR, Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Zoological Institute: 103-113.
- O'Dogherty, L. (1994). Biochronology and paleontology of Mid-Cretaceous radiolarian from Northern Apennines (Italy) and Betic Cordillera (Spain). Mémoires de Géologie (Lausanne) 21: 1-415.
- Pessagno, E. A. (1977c). Lower Cretaceous radiolarian biostratigraphy of the Great Valley Sequence and Franciscan Complex, California Coast Ranges. Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Special Publication 15: 1-87.