Goniophorus whitneyi Ikins, 1940
Plate: GoWh-10
Series: Upper Cretaceous Group: Washita Formation: Del Rio
Locale: Alpine County: Brewster Stage: Cenomanian
Length: 9.5 mm Height: 6.3 mm
Specimen in photo: UT 40566 (Holotype)
Repository: Non-vertebrate Paleo. Lab., Univ. of Texas
HOLOTYPE INFO:
Holotype: UT 40566 (BEG 20541 in some catalogs) — Non-vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory, University of Texas (Ikins, 1940)
Locality: Alpine, Brewster County, Texas (Ikins, 1940)
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: GONIOPHORUS L. Agassiz, 1838
Species: Goniophorus whitneyi Ikins, 1940
TYPE SPECIES: Goniophorus lunulatus L. Agassiz, 1838
STRATIGRAPHICAL OCCURRENCE & DISTRIBUTION
Group: Washita
Formations: Del Rio Clay (Ikins, 1940)
Stratigraphic Units: Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian
Counties: Brewster County (Ikins, 1940)
DESCRIPTION
TOP: Length, width, height: 9.5 mm L × 6.3 mm H (Ikins, 1940)
Top shape: Circular in outline (Ikins, 1940)
Top domed: Abactinal (aboral) surface slightly rounded but pointed at the apex (Ikins, 1940)
SIDE: Side shape: Sides slightly inflated (Ikins, 1940)
BOTTOM: Bottom shape: Adactinal (oral) surface gently concave (Ikins, 1940)
AMB: Amb shape: Slightly flexuous and lanceolate; changing only slightly in width between apical disk and peristome (Ikins, 1940)
Amb primary tubercles: Two rows of about 15 alternating, imperforate tubercles (Ikins, 1940)
Amb granules: Two rows of alternating granules between the tubercles (Ikins, 1940)
INTERAMB: Interamb width: Broader than ambulacra (2.5 mm at plocogenous zone; 4 mm at ambitus; 1 mm at peristome) (Ikins, 1940)
Interamb plating: Two alternating rows of 7 plates each. Plates largest at ambitus, diminishing toward poles (Ikins, 1940).
Granules: Arranged on margins of plates; granules in upper/lower adradial corners and upper/lower medial corners. Small bands of miliaries along plate margins (Ikins, 1940).
PORE PAIRS: Shape: Circular (Ikins, 1940)
Arrangement: Uniserial; about 29 pores per zone; slightly irregular near peristome (Ikins, 1940)
TUBERCLES: Primary Perforated: No (Ikins, 1940)
Primary Crenulate: Yes (Ikins, 1940)
Primary Boss: Scrobiculate (Ikins, 1940)
Primary Mamelon: Spherical, imperforate (Ikins, 1940)
APICAL SYSTEM: Size: Quite large (Ikins, 1940)
Shape: Pentagonal (Ikins, 1940)
Plates: 5 oculars, 5 genitals, 1 suranal (center). Posterior genital not in contact with lateral genitals due to periproct. Oculars I, V insert; II, III, IV exsert (Ikins, 1940).
Ornamentation: Two radiating ridges radiate from apex of suranal plate toward center of right and left anterior genital plates. Two elevated granules on each genital plate (one on either side of pore) (Ikins, 1940).
Madreporite: Incision in right anterior genital plate is deltoid (Ikins, 1940)
PERIPROCT (ANUS): Shape & Size: Large; circular, slightly elongated laterally (Ikins, 1940)
PERISTOME (MOUTH): Size: Small; about 1/3 diameter of test (Ikins, 1940)
Shape: Circular (Ikins, 1940)
Lip: Incisions in basicoronal plates but slightly developed (Ikins, 1940)
SPECIMENS STUDIED & CONDITION
Holotype UT 40566 (Ikins, 1940).
ETYMOLOGY
Named in honor of Francis Luther Whitney (1878–1962), Professor of Geology and Paleontology at the University of Texas at Austin (Ikins, 1940).
REMARKS & COMPARISONS
Remarks: The species is noted for its distinct apical ornamentation (radiating ridges on suranal plate).
Comparisons:
Plate: GoWh-10
Series: Upper Cretaceous Group: Washita Formation: Del Rio
Locale: Alpine County: Brewster Stage: Cenomanian
Length: 9.5 mm Height: 6.3 mm
Specimen in photo: UT 40566 (Holotype)
Repository: Non-vertebrate Paleo. Lab., Univ. of Texas
HOLOTYPE INFO:
Holotype: UT 40566 (BEG 20541 in some catalogs) — Non-vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory, University of Texas (Ikins, 1940)
Locality: Alpine, Brewster County, Texas (Ikins, 1940)
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: GONIOPHORUS L. Agassiz, 1838
Species: Goniophorus whitneyi Ikins, 1940
TYPE SPECIES: Goniophorus lunulatus L. Agassiz, 1838
STRATIGRAPHICAL OCCURRENCE & DISTRIBUTION
Group: Washita
Formations: Del Rio Clay (Ikins, 1940)
Stratigraphic Units: Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian
Counties: Brewster County (Ikins, 1940)
DESCRIPTION
TOP: Length, width, height: 9.5 mm L × 6.3 mm H (Ikins, 1940)
Top shape: Circular in outline (Ikins, 1940)
Top domed: Abactinal (aboral) surface slightly rounded but pointed at the apex (Ikins, 1940)
SIDE: Side shape: Sides slightly inflated (Ikins, 1940)
BOTTOM: Bottom shape: Adactinal (oral) surface gently concave (Ikins, 1940)
AMB: Amb shape: Slightly flexuous and lanceolate; changing only slightly in width between apical disk and peristome (Ikins, 1940)
Amb primary tubercles: Two rows of about 15 alternating, imperforate tubercles (Ikins, 1940)
Amb granules: Two rows of alternating granules between the tubercles (Ikins, 1940)
INTERAMB: Interamb width: Broader than ambulacra (2.5 mm at plocogenous zone; 4 mm at ambitus; 1 mm at peristome) (Ikins, 1940)
Interamb plating: Two alternating rows of 7 plates each. Plates largest at ambitus, diminishing toward poles (Ikins, 1940).
Granules: Arranged on margins of plates; granules in upper/lower adradial corners and upper/lower medial corners. Small bands of miliaries along plate margins (Ikins, 1940).
PORE PAIRS: Shape: Circular (Ikins, 1940)
Arrangement: Uniserial; about 29 pores per zone; slightly irregular near peristome (Ikins, 1940)
TUBERCLES: Primary Perforated: No (Ikins, 1940)
Primary Crenulate: Yes (Ikins, 1940)
Primary Boss: Scrobiculate (Ikins, 1940)
Primary Mamelon: Spherical, imperforate (Ikins, 1940)
APICAL SYSTEM: Size: Quite large (Ikins, 1940)
Shape: Pentagonal (Ikins, 1940)
Plates: 5 oculars, 5 genitals, 1 suranal (center). Posterior genital not in contact with lateral genitals due to periproct. Oculars I, V insert; II, III, IV exsert (Ikins, 1940).
Ornamentation: Two radiating ridges radiate from apex of suranal plate toward center of right and left anterior genital plates. Two elevated granules on each genital plate (one on either side of pore) (Ikins, 1940).
Madreporite: Incision in right anterior genital plate is deltoid (Ikins, 1940)
PERIPROCT (ANUS): Shape & Size: Large; circular, slightly elongated laterally (Ikins, 1940)
PERISTOME (MOUTH): Size: Small; about 1/3 diameter of test (Ikins, 1940)
Shape: Circular (Ikins, 1940)
Lip: Incisions in basicoronal plates but slightly developed (Ikins, 1940)
SPECIMENS STUDIED & CONDITION
Holotype UT 40566 (Ikins, 1940).
ETYMOLOGY
Named in honor of Francis Luther Whitney (1878–1962), Professor of Geology and Paleontology at the University of Texas at Austin (Ikins, 1940).
REMARKS & COMPARISONS
Remarks: The species is noted for its distinct apical ornamentation (radiating ridges on suranal plate).
Comparisons:
- Goniophorus scotti: G. whitneyi is over twice as large, has different apical ornamentation, has 7 interambulacral plates (vs. 6 in scotti), and 15 ambulacral tubercles (vs. 10 in scotti) (Ikins, 1940). Note: Smith & Kroh (2011) consider G. whitneyi a synonym of G. scotti.
- Goniophorus lunulatus (Genotype): G. whitneyi has 7 interamb plates (vs. 6), a rounder periproct, different apical ornamentation, and less prominent subtubercular pores (Ikins, 1940).
