Salenia elliotti Thompson, 2016
Plate: SaEl-10
Series: Lower Cretaceous Group: Fredericksburg Formation: Walnut
Locale: Austin County: Travis Stage: Albian
Length: 18.9 mm Height: 9.9 mm
Specimen in photo: NPL 70940 Holotype
Collector: Ed Elliott
Repository: Non-vertebrate Paleo. Lab., Univ. of Texas
HOLOTYPE INFO:
Holotype: NPL 70940 .
Locality: Central/Southeast Travis County, Texas (Austin).
Stratigraphy: Walnut Formation, Fredericksburg Group.
SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY – TAXONOMY
Class: Echinoidea Leske, 1778
Subclass: Euechinoidea Bronn, 1860
Infraclass: Carinacea Kroh & Smith, 2010
Superorder: Calycina Gregory, 1900
Order: Salenioida Delage & Hérouard, 1903
Family: Saleniidae L. Agassiz, 1838
Genus: SALENIA Gray, 1835
Species: Salenia elliotti Thompson, 2016
TYPE SPECIES: Cidaris scutigera Gray, 1835
DIAGNOSIS
A Salenia characterized by a highly ornate, thick, and flat apical system with approximately 15 sutural pits along the boundary of each genital plate. The test has a box-like profile with a flat bottom and slightly curved sides. The periproct is quadrangular with a pronounced triangular lip.
STRATIGRAPHICAL OCCURRENCE & DISTRIBUTION
Group: Fredericksburg
Formations: Walnut Formation.
Stratigraphic Units: Lower Cretaceous, Albian.
Counties: Travis.
Abundance: Rare; only one specimen found.
DESCRIPTION
TOP: Length, width, height: 18.9 mm L × 9.9 mm H. Top shape: Subpentagonal. Top domed: Very flat cap (apical system) that is only slightly raised at the periproct.
SIDE: Ambitus: Positioned at midpoint between bottom and corona. Side shape: Sides only slightly curved; profile appears almost box-like.
BOTTOM: Bottom shape: Flat.
AMB: Amb shape: Slightly flexuous; narrow. Widest at the peristome. Amb width: Interambulacra are just over 3.5 times the size of the ambulacra at the ambitus.
PORE PAIRS: Arrangement: Uniserial. Shape: Oblique.
TUBERCLES: Primary Perforated: No (Imperforate). Primary Crenulate: Yes. Ambulacral Tubercles: Two rows of tubercles staggered between sets of pore pairs. Interambulacral Tubercles: Large; mamelons sub-spherical. Areolas: Large. Scrobicular Tubercles: Surround primary tubercles.
GRANULES: Distribution: Slight granulation exists just below the apical system and at interradial and adradial sutures.
FASCIOLE: Absent.
APICAL SYSTEM: Size: Large; diameter 63% of test diameter. Shape: Pentagonal; flat and thick, sitting on the corona. Plating: Oculars and genitals resemble those of Hyposalenia phillipsae. Each genital plate has a gonopore. Outer edge indented in center with a bump on either side. Oculars have a flat center and an outward bump on the outer edge. Ornamentation: Highly ornate; Genital plates have about 15 suture pits along the boundary. Oculars have 5 elongated suture pits on the inside.
PERIPROCT (ANUS): Shape: Quadrangular. Features: Thick raised triangular lip.
PERISTOME (MOUTH): Size: Diameter 45% of bottom. Lip: Deep buccal notches, nearly equal distance from each other.
SPINES: Unknown.
SPECIMENS STUDIED & CONDITION: One specimen studied: Holotype NPL 70940.
ETYMOLOGY
Named after Edward Elliott, who found the echinoid and is a personal mentor of the author.
REMARKS & COMPARISONS
Remarks: This species is unique among Texas Salenia due to the very ornate apical system (15 sutural pits) and the box-like profile (flat top, bottom, and sides).
Plate: SaEl-10
Series: Lower Cretaceous Group: Fredericksburg Formation: Walnut
Locale: Austin County: Travis Stage: Albian
Length: 18.9 mm Height: 9.9 mm
Specimen in photo: NPL 70940 Holotype
Collector: Ed Elliott
Repository: Non-vertebrate Paleo. Lab., Univ. of Texas
HOLOTYPE INFO:
Holotype: NPL 70940 .
Locality: Central/Southeast Travis County, Texas (Austin).
Stratigraphy: Walnut Formation, Fredericksburg Group.
SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY – TAXONOMY
Class: Echinoidea Leske, 1778
Subclass: Euechinoidea Bronn, 1860
Infraclass: Carinacea Kroh & Smith, 2010
Superorder: Calycina Gregory, 1900
Order: Salenioida Delage & Hérouard, 1903
Family: Saleniidae L. Agassiz, 1838
Genus: SALENIA Gray, 1835
Species: Salenia elliotti Thompson, 2016
TYPE SPECIES: Cidaris scutigera Gray, 1835
DIAGNOSIS
A Salenia characterized by a highly ornate, thick, and flat apical system with approximately 15 sutural pits along the boundary of each genital plate. The test has a box-like profile with a flat bottom and slightly curved sides. The periproct is quadrangular with a pronounced triangular lip.
STRATIGRAPHICAL OCCURRENCE & DISTRIBUTION
Group: Fredericksburg
Formations: Walnut Formation.
Stratigraphic Units: Lower Cretaceous, Albian.
Counties: Travis.
Abundance: Rare; only one specimen found.
DESCRIPTION
TOP: Length, width, height: 18.9 mm L × 9.9 mm H. Top shape: Subpentagonal. Top domed: Very flat cap (apical system) that is only slightly raised at the periproct.
SIDE: Ambitus: Positioned at midpoint between bottom and corona. Side shape: Sides only slightly curved; profile appears almost box-like.
BOTTOM: Bottom shape: Flat.
AMB: Amb shape: Slightly flexuous; narrow. Widest at the peristome. Amb width: Interambulacra are just over 3.5 times the size of the ambulacra at the ambitus.
PORE PAIRS: Arrangement: Uniserial. Shape: Oblique.
TUBERCLES: Primary Perforated: No (Imperforate). Primary Crenulate: Yes. Ambulacral Tubercles: Two rows of tubercles staggered between sets of pore pairs. Interambulacral Tubercles: Large; mamelons sub-spherical. Areolas: Large. Scrobicular Tubercles: Surround primary tubercles.
GRANULES: Distribution: Slight granulation exists just below the apical system and at interradial and adradial sutures.
FASCIOLE: Absent.
APICAL SYSTEM: Size: Large; diameter 63% of test diameter. Shape: Pentagonal; flat and thick, sitting on the corona. Plating: Oculars and genitals resemble those of Hyposalenia phillipsae. Each genital plate has a gonopore. Outer edge indented in center with a bump on either side. Oculars have a flat center and an outward bump on the outer edge. Ornamentation: Highly ornate; Genital plates have about 15 suture pits along the boundary. Oculars have 5 elongated suture pits on the inside.
PERIPROCT (ANUS): Shape: Quadrangular. Features: Thick raised triangular lip.
PERISTOME (MOUTH): Size: Diameter 45% of bottom. Lip: Deep buccal notches, nearly equal distance from each other.
SPINES: Unknown.
SPECIMENS STUDIED & CONDITION: One specimen studied: Holotype NPL 70940.
ETYMOLOGY
Named after Edward Elliott, who found the echinoid and is a personal mentor of the author.
REMARKS & COMPARISONS
Remarks: This species is unique among Texas Salenia due to the very ornate apical system (15 sutural pits) and the box-like profile (flat top, bottom, and sides).
