Main Page
 |
DINOFLAJ3 |
 |
| Scanning electron micrograph of Charlesdowniea clathrata, an Eocene fossil dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) from Maryland, U.S.A. Image courtesy of Dave Goodman. | Species illustrated by Ehrenberg, 1837b as Xanthidium. Upper and lower left: "Xanthidium ramosum" (now Spiniferites ramosus); upper right: "Xanthidium tubiferum" (now Hystrichosphaeridium tubiferum); lower right: "Xanthidium bulbosum" (now Hystrichokolpoma bulbosum). |
Update: Dinoflaj3!
01/2017: Taxonomic content is now updated. These introductory pages are in the process of being revised. There is plenty of outdated information until that process is completed.
Dec. 30: Final (?) version loaded.
WHAT IS DINOFLAJ3?
DINOFLAJ3 is a database system containing:
1. An index of fossil dinoflagellates at generic, specific and infraspecific ranks. This information will be updated periodically to match changes in published literature. Initial data (2017/01) is from Fensome et al. (2017). This constitutes the latest edition of the Lentin and Williams (1975) fossil dinoflagellate index. A detailed Introduction describes the nomenclatural approach of the current edition.
2. The classification of fossil and living dinoflagellates down to generic rank, where it is continuous with the index information. The classification is based on Fensome et al. (1993), but has not yet been updated to include new genera or changes to them.
3. Other information and illustrations on fossil dinoflagellates as appropriate and available, including full reference information updated from the above sources and a glossary of terms.
Information is hyperlinked for convenient browsing. DINOFLAJ3 supersedes DINOFLAJ2 (2004-2016), which in turn supersedes DINOFLAJ v.1 (1998 - Geological Survey of Canada Open File 3653). Information will be updated periodically in the form of new versions of DINOFLAJ. In order to avoid confusion, it is recommended that the version always be indicated when citing DINOFLAJ. Past versions will be archived.
For nomenclatural purposes, a complete electronic document is provided with fixed pagination and content. Either the document or website should be cited as:
Fensome, R.A., Williams, G.L., and MacRae, R.A., 2008. The Lentin and Williams Index of Fossil Dinoflagellates, 2017 Edition. American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists, Contributions Series Number 48, 1096p. ISSN 0160-8843. Website: http://dinoflaj.smu.ca/dinoflaj3
The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists, the Geological Survey of Canada, and Saint Mary's University.
WHAT ARE DINOFLAGELLATES?
Dinoflagellates are single-celled organisms that have two distinctive flagella during at least part of their life cycle and/or a special type of nucleus called a dinokaryon (Fensome et al., 1993b). They are probably best known as a principal cause of "red tides" and paralytic shellfish poisoning. Some groups produce resistant organic-walled, calcareous or (rarely) siliceous cysts that are preserved in Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediments and sedimentary rocks. These fossils are useful in helping to determine ages of rocks (e.g. in understanding petroleum systems) and in understanding past environments (e.g. global change studies).