Leptosalenia salasae Thompson, 2020
Plate: LeSa-10
Series: Lower Cretaceous Group: Washita Formation: Duck Creek
Locale: Crane County: Crane Stage: Albian
Length: 16.6 mm Height: 11.2 mm
Collector: Dr. Stephen Crane
Holotype NPL 94342
Repository: Non-vertebrate Paleo. Lab., Univ. of Texas
HOLOTYPE INFO:
Holotype: NPL 94342
Locality: Crane, Crane County, Texas.
Stratigraphy: Duck Creek Formation, Washita 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: LEPTOSALENIA Smith & Wright, 1990
Species: Leptosalenia salasae Thompson, 2020
TYPE SPECIES: Salenia prestensis Desor, 1856
DIAGNOSIS
A Leptosalenia from the Duck Creek Formation characterized by ocular plates that point upward on both outside edges and a small suranal plate.
STRATIGRAPHICAL OCCURRENCE & DISTRIBUTION
Group: Washita
Formations: Duck Creek Formation.
Stratigraphic Units: Lower Cretaceous, Albian.
Counties: Crane.
Abundance: Rare; only one specimen found.
DESCRIPTION
TOP: Length, width, height: 16.6 mm L × 11.2 mm H.
Top shape: Circular outline.
Top domed: Apical system sits on the corona as a raised, thick cap. Apex is located at the lip of the periproct.
SIDE: Ambitus: Positioned 40% of height from the oral surface
Side shape: Profile is box-shaped with steep, rounded sides.
Profile: Height is 67% of width.
BOTTOM: Bottom shape: Flat.
AMB: Amb shape: Straight from bottom view; flexuous just under the apical system down to the ambitus. Lanceolate; widest at the peristome.
Amb width: Interambulacra are just over 3 times the size of the ambulacra.
PORE PAIRS: Arrangement: Uniserial.
Elements: Bigeminate.
TUBERCLES: Primary Perforated: No (Imperforate).
Primary Crenulate: Yes; crenulation pronounced.
Ambulacral Tubercles: Two rows of 16 tubercles.
Interambulacral Tubercles: Two rows of four tubercles, of which two or three are massive.
Areolas: Raised; mamelons large and protruding.
Scrobicular Tubercles: Surround each primary tubercle except on the adradial side.
GRANULES: Distribution: Further granulation present along the interradial suture and below the apical cap.
FASCIOLE: Absent.
APICAL SYSTEM: Size: Large; diameter ~66% of test diameter.
Shape: Round.
Plating: Each genital plate has a central gonopore. Ocular plates are thick and "bird-shaped"; outside edges have two rounded bumps on either side.
Ornamentation: Oculars have 3 sutural pits on the inside edge.
PERIPROCT (ANUS): Shape: Oval.
Features: Lip is raised.
PERISTOME (MOUTH): Size: Diameter 47% of test diameter.
Lip: Shallow buccal notches.
SPINES: Unknown.
SPECIMENS STUDIED & CONDITION: One specimen studied: Holotype NPL 94342.
ETYMOLOGY
Named after Allyson L. Salas of Dallas, Texas, daughter of Dr. Stephen Crane.
REMARKS & COMPARISONS
Remarks: Only two species of Leptosalenia are currently known from the Washita Group of Texas: L. salasae and L. reidi. The overall features of L. salasae resemble Salenia stenzeli (also from the Washita), but the structure of the apical system varies tremendously between the two.
Plate: LeSa-10
Series: Lower Cretaceous Group: Washita Formation: Duck Creek
Locale: Crane County: Crane Stage: Albian
Length: 16.6 mm Height: 11.2 mm
Collector: Dr. Stephen Crane
Holotype NPL 94342
Repository: Non-vertebrate Paleo. Lab., Univ. of Texas
HOLOTYPE INFO:
Holotype: NPL 94342
Locality: Crane, Crane County, Texas.
Stratigraphy: Duck Creek Formation, Washita 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: LEPTOSALENIA Smith & Wright, 1990
Species: Leptosalenia salasae Thompson, 2020
TYPE SPECIES: Salenia prestensis Desor, 1856
DIAGNOSIS
A Leptosalenia from the Duck Creek Formation characterized by ocular plates that point upward on both outside edges and a small suranal plate.
STRATIGRAPHICAL OCCURRENCE & DISTRIBUTION
Group: Washita
Formations: Duck Creek Formation.
Stratigraphic Units: Lower Cretaceous, Albian.
Counties: Crane.
Abundance: Rare; only one specimen found.
DESCRIPTION
TOP: Length, width, height: 16.6 mm L × 11.2 mm H.
Top shape: Circular outline.
Top domed: Apical system sits on the corona as a raised, thick cap. Apex is located at the lip of the periproct.
SIDE: Ambitus: Positioned 40% of height from the oral surface
Side shape: Profile is box-shaped with steep, rounded sides.
Profile: Height is 67% of width.
BOTTOM: Bottom shape: Flat.
AMB: Amb shape: Straight from bottom view; flexuous just under the apical system down to the ambitus. Lanceolate; widest at the peristome.
Amb width: Interambulacra are just over 3 times the size of the ambulacra.
PORE PAIRS: Arrangement: Uniserial.
Elements: Bigeminate.
TUBERCLES: Primary Perforated: No (Imperforate).
Primary Crenulate: Yes; crenulation pronounced.
Ambulacral Tubercles: Two rows of 16 tubercles.
Interambulacral Tubercles: Two rows of four tubercles, of which two or three are massive.
Areolas: Raised; mamelons large and protruding.
Scrobicular Tubercles: Surround each primary tubercle except on the adradial side.
GRANULES: Distribution: Further granulation present along the interradial suture and below the apical cap.
FASCIOLE: Absent.
APICAL SYSTEM: Size: Large; diameter ~66% of test diameter.
Shape: Round.
Plating: Each genital plate has a central gonopore. Ocular plates are thick and "bird-shaped"; outside edges have two rounded bumps on either side.
Ornamentation: Oculars have 3 sutural pits on the inside edge.
PERIPROCT (ANUS): Shape: Oval.
Features: Lip is raised.
PERISTOME (MOUTH): Size: Diameter 47% of test diameter.
Lip: Shallow buccal notches.
SPINES: Unknown.
SPECIMENS STUDIED & CONDITION: One specimen studied: Holotype NPL 94342.
ETYMOLOGY
Named after Allyson L. Salas of Dallas, Texas, daughter of Dr. Stephen Crane.
REMARKS & COMPARISONS
Remarks: Only two species of Leptosalenia are currently known from the Washita Group of Texas: L. salasae and L. reidi. The overall features of L. salasae resemble Salenia stenzeli (also from the Washita), but the structure of the apical system varies tremendously between the two.
