SATURCIR

RadWorld

Saturnalis circularis Haeckel, emend. Nigrini, 1967, p. 25
(Pl. 1, fig. 9)

- Saturnalis circularisHaeckel, 1887a, p.131
- Saturnalis annularisHaeckel, 1887a, p.132, pl.13, fig.16
- Saturnulus circulusHaeckel, 1887a, p.141
- Saturnulus annulusHaeckel, 1887a, p.141
- Saturnulus ellipticusHaeckel, 1887a, p.141, pl.16, fig. 16
- Saturnulus planetesHaeckel, 1887a, p.142, pl.16, fig.17; Hays, 1965, p.167, pl.1, fig.5
- Saturnulus annularisHaecker, 1907a, p.121, fig.6; 1908a, p.443, pl.84, fig.581, text-fig.82

Emended description and dimensions:Cortical shell spherical, with circular to subcircular pores, 12-15 on a half-equator; relatively thin wall and somewhat rough surface. Medullary shell usually present, approximately spherical, very delicate, with large angular pores. A narrow radial beam at each pole (present if medullary shell is present) joins with 2 equal and opposite cylindrical or 3-bladed spines connected distally by a smooth, circular to elliptical, 3-bladed ring. Usually, the outer edge of the ring is indented opposite the spines.
Diameter of cortical shell 72-81µm; of medullary shell 18-27µm. Maximum outside diameter of ring 218-272µm.
Remarks:Examination of assemblages from various latitudes has shown that in Quaternary sediments there is only one common species of Saturnalis (S. circularis). There seems to be no reasonable foundation for the erection of the numerous species described by Haeckel, nor for Haecker's species, S. aureolatus.
Occurrence: Saturnalis circularis is very sparsely distributed in both low and middle latitudes.
Subsequent descriptions:YES

Saturnalis circularis Haeckel, emend. Dumitrica, 1985, p. 189
(Pl. 1, fig. 4-6; pl. 3, fig. 3, 7)

Emended description:Inside the latticed cortical shell the two polar rays prolong by thin bars bearing delicate fibrils that eventually reach the cortical shell (Pl. 3, fig. 3). The primary skeleton is large, with thick bars, except for the portions of the primary ring around the transverse gates, which are thin and difficult to separate from the other bars of shell. These portions are also strongly bent downwards so that the transverse primary gates open laterally on a direction perpendicular to the axis of the microsphere (Pl. 1, fig. 5). Apical rays stemless, the two branches of each ray forming a bar directly and transversely superposed on the basal rays. There is also an axial apical ray which is slightly displaced laterally because of the appearance of a thinner additional apical ray on the median bar (Pl. 1, fig. 4, 5). Both of them are stemless.
Secondary skeleton of the microsphere thin, with irregular pores. All primary gates are closed by a loose, spiny meshwork of thin bars forming inflate portions of shell. They develop from the upper branch of the first verticil, from the branches of the apical rays and of the transverse, thinned portions of the primary ring. On probably mature specimens all this shell may be surrounded by a loose, delicate meshwork (Pl. 3, fig. 3). Axis of microsphere is inclined under variable angles (10°-9O°) as against the plane of ring.
Stratigraphic range:S. circularis seems to be the only living saturnalid species. According to Kling (1973) its range extends to Lower Miocene (Calocycletta costata Zone), but its range should be much longer because S. cyclus Haeckel from Barbados, whose age is probably Eocene, seems to be a synonym of S. circulus.
Subsequent descriptions:?

Literature cited: - Dumitrica, P. (1985). Internal morphology of the Saturnalidae (Radiolaria); systematic and phylogenetic consequences. Revue de Micropaléontologie 28(3): 181-196.
- Haeckel, E. (1887a). Report on the Radiolaria collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of the H.M.S. Challenger, Zoology, 18, clxxxviii + 1803.
- Haecker, V. (1907a). Altertümliche Spharellarien und Cyrtellarien aus grossen Meerestiefen. Archiv für Protistenkunde 10: 114-126.
- Haecker, V. (1908a). Tiefsee-Radiolarien. Spezieller Teil. Die Tripyleen, Collodarienund Mikroradiolarien der Tiefsee. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition auf dem Dampfer "Valdivia" 1898-1899. C. Chun. Jena, Germany. 14: 336-476.
- Hays, J. D. (1965). Radiolaria and late Tertiary and Quaternary history of Antarctic Seas. Biology of Antarctic Seas II. G. A. Llano, American Geophysical Union, Antarctic Research Series. 5: 125-184.
- Kling, S. A. (1973). Radiolaria from the eastern North Pacific, Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 18. Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. L. D. Kulm, R. Von Huene et al. Washington, D.C., U. S. Government Printing Office. 18: 617-671.
- Nigrini, C. (1967). Radiolaria in pelagic sediments from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Bulletin of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 11: 1-125.