The miospore genus Fragilipollenites Konyali emend, from the Silesian of Great Britain

The miospore genus Fragilipollenites Konyali in Agrali et al., 1965 is emended. The type species F. radiatus Konyali in Agrali el al., 1965 is also emended and a new species F. ganymedeii is described. The two species have a distinctive morphography which appears to be unique. The genus has been recorded sporadically from the Namurian and, more commonly, from the early Langsettian (Silesian) of on- and offshore Great Britain.

I~'rrrgili~~ollt~r~irc,s has a distinctive morphology which appears to he unique amongst miospores. For this reason it is necessary to define two new terms.
Chorde (pl. -ac) (Greek chorrliJ: the string o f a musical instrument) linear, wirelike sculptural elements, equidimensional in cross-section, which may or may not divide into branches. They are generally radially disposed and do n o t encircle ihe spore (Figs la,h).
Thc term costa in the sense of Thompson & Pflug (1953), Potoni; & Kremp (1955) and Grebe (1971) is not used as it denotes rib-like sculptural elevations on the exine which encircle the spore. The term chordae is preferred to the term muri which are defined as elevations bounding lumina in a reticulum (PotoniC & Kremp, 195.5;Grebe, 1971) or as parallel sculptural ridges (Thompson & Plug, 1953). Both of these uses of the term muri apply to definite palynological sculptural morphologics (e.g. that of L)ic,r~~ofrilr/e.s Naumova i'.v PotoniC & Kremp 1954 lor reticulate muri and C'ic.trrric.o,si.s~:l,rirites Potonie & Gelletich 1933 lor parallel muri) which are distinct from the sculpture of f~'rirgilip o Ilrri it v.s . Cuppa (Lalin ciippu: cup or cask) an open, more-or-less hemispherical cup-like structure, positioned on the distal polar region concentric with the cquator such that the conciivc inner surfa'ce faces distally away from the miospore (Figs 1c.d). Intexine and exoexine closely attached over the proximal and distal surfaces but the proximal and distal membranes of the exoexine forming the 7ona may be variably separated to produce a camera. lntexine concave-rounded triangular in equatorial outline. Distal exoexine bears a cuppa. Laesurae straight, extending t o equator, accompanied by high labra: equatorial curvaturae perfectae or imperfectae present. Sculpture of chordae on the cuppa, and may also occur on the proximal and distal surfaces of the exoexine. the m n a and the contact faces.

SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTIONS
Remarks. The external structure of the genus is illustrated in Fig. I . Konyali (in Agrali rf ul., 1965) assigned the genus to the SCrie ( = Infraturma) Triletesacciti Leschik 1955 based upon the identification of a monosaccate structure. However, the genus clearly lacks an infrareticulate, saccate structure characteristic of the Turnia Saccites Erdtman 1947 which contains the Infraturma Triletesacciti. The present emcndation and suprageneric placement is based upon the reinterpretation of the structure of the genus as camerate and zonate and follows suggestions made by Owens ef ul. (1966)  radirrtr4.s bears a sculpture o f fine, broken lines which radiate from three points placed symmetrically, one o n each of the threc contact faces (see Burbridge & Felix, 1976. pl. 2, fig. 3). This is reminiscent of, but much less obviously developed than the chordae o n the contact faces of the species Frugilipollenites rutliutiis (see below  (1964)), zona-like equatorial structure (wing) and radiating parallel-sided folds reminiscent of the chorde of Frugilipollenites. However the skiadions are interpreted as spore-bearing structures and as such do n o t have a trilete mark. Furthermore the cupule is proximal (in relation to the associated spore) rather than distal.  fig. 24). to more or less straight. Equatorial diameter 120(133)154 p m (22 specimens). Pronounced zona up to two thirds of the spore diameter. Exoexine and intexinc attached proximally and distally but the proximal and distal membranes of the exoexine forming the zona may becomc separated to varying degrees to produce a camera. Equatorial outline of central body concave-rounded triangular, one third to one half of the total diametcr of the spore. Distal surface bears a cuppa, 8-20pm high, 20-30 p m wide at its base and 25-40 p m wide at its distal edge. Trilete rays accompanied by labra 8-15 p m high at the proximal pole, tapering to the equator, 1-2 p m widc. Equatorial c~~r u u t~~r u e perfectae present though often difficult to discern. Sculpture of chordae up to I p m wide: chordae on contact faces radiate out from a more-or-less central point on each contact face, dividing biserially (PI. 2, fig. 1, text-fig. la); distribution of chordae on the proximal and distal membranes of the zona similar, radially disposed, generally reaching thc equator but often tapering and becoming indistinct before reaching the equator; chordae on the distal body and cuppa radially arranged. a single chorde runs around the distal rim of the cuppa. Remarks. The material of Agrali et 01. (1965) which provided the holotype of the species is in a very poor state of preservation (Stanislas Loboziak, pers. comm.). Consequently the illustration of the holotype (Plate 1. fig.  1) is provided by a photograph of the original plates.

Fragilipollenites radiatus
The above synonymy list does not include reference to unpublished names from PhD theses.

STRATIGRAPHICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
The stratigraphical distribution of the genus is illustrated in Fig. 2. The genus occurs rarely in mudstones and claystones ol Silesian age. Because of the scarcity of specimens it is difficult to precisely delimit the stratigraphical range of its species. F. radiarzis has a stratigraphical range from mid Arnsbergian to late Duckmantian. It is scarce in the Namurian and has its epibole through the Langsettian. F. gcinymdeii appears to be stratigraphically restricted to the Langsettian. Although originally recorded from coal (Agrali