Stein, 1867
Tintinnopsis complex
This complex encompasses species ascribed to the genera Tintinnopsis Stein, 1867 and Leprotintinnus Jörgensen, 1899. According to Kofoid and Campbell (1929), Tintinnopsis is the most diversified tintinnid genus (85 species in total), while Leprotintinnus comprises only 5 species. However, a comparative analysis of the lorica of most species commonly regarded as belonging to Tintinnopsis (see Kofoid and Campbell, 1929, Fig. 14-97 therein), and particularly materials examined for the present work (Turn to Tintinnopsis species for illustrations), clearly show that their sole common feature is the capability of accreting particles (mostly of non-biogenic origin) in a highly variable number. Other morphologic traits, difficult to assess since they are usually obscured by the thick layer of particles adhering to the lorica, are very variable and do not allow consistent separation of the morphotypes into reasonably homogeneous groups. Furthermore, it is probable that many of the so called "species" of Tintinnopsis actually belong to various other genera (Eutintinnus, Daturella, Codonella, Stenosemella, Stylicauda, Climacocylis, Helicostomella and even Coxliella forms) whose aspect is masked by the dense agglutination of particles due to coastal environmental conditions (conversely, neritic forms may fail to agglutinate foreign particles when expatriated into the open ocean). Further studies are needed to confirm this observation and to divide the genus Tintinnopsis into morphologically coherent species.
Members of the Tintinnopsis complex have loricae highly variable in shape, and always densely covered with particles, mainly of non-biogenic origin. The aboral end is closed in most species, clearly open in some, and with a broken-like aboral end in a few. Despite the agglutinated particles, spiral lorica wall structure can be seen in some taxa. In some species a nuchal constriction may be either inconspicuous or well-defined.
Arranged in Subgroup 1A (see the page Ti. 15 Classification scheme based on morphologically similar groups of species).
Species ascribed to "Tintinnopsis":
Tintinnopsis radix (Imhof, 1886). See remark for Tintinnopsis aperta.
Tintinnopsis aperta Brandt, 1906. Morphologically similar to Tintinnopsis radix, sizes quite different. Cytological studies needed to differentiate these two species.
Tintinnopsis tocantinensis Kofoid and Campbell, 1929
Above three species fit into Tintinnopsis because of horn with a clearly broken-like aboral end. However, Tintinnopsis tocantinensis has a globose bowl extended cylindrically to the oral end, whereas Tintinnopsis radix and Tintinnopsis aperta usually have a cylindrical, spiralled bowl.
Tintinnopsis nordqvisti Brandt, 1906. Broken-like aboral end (without aboral horn), expanded as in genus Clevea?, genus Daturella, and genus Climacocylis.
Tintinnopsis kofoidi Hada, 1932
Tintinnopsis amphistoma Balech, 1951
Above two species morphologically similar to genus Eutintinnus because loricae clearly open at both ends.
Tintinnopsis amphora Kofoid and Campbell, 1929 /nucula (Fol, 1884). Bowl amphora-like. Cytological studies are needed to confirm Tintinnopsis amphora Kofoid and Campbell and Tintinnopsis nucula (Fol) as valid species.
Tintinnopsis baltica Brandt, 1896
Tintinnopsis uruguayensis Balech, 1948
Tintinnopsis fimbriata Meunier, 1919
Tintinnopsis campanula Ehrenberg, 1840 /butschlii Daday, 1887. See Tintinnopsis compressa below.
"Tintinnopsis" campanula/butschlii var. butschlii Daday, 1887.
"Tintinnopsis" campanula/ butschlii var. mortensenii (Schmidt, 1901).
Above four species have in common nuchal constriction that can be salient (Tintinnopsis uruguayensis, Tintinnopsis fimbriata) or smooth (Tintinnopsis baltica, Tintinnopsis bütschlii). In some cases, oral end seems to be broken-like (Tintinnopsis uruguayensis with short horn with broken-like aboral end), whereas others show anterior region of bowl spiralled, or combination of both elements (T. baltica 6).
Tintinnopsis parvula Jörgensen, 1912. Individuals highly variable in morphology and dimensions. In some cases posterior cone can be distinguished in bowl. In others, bowl consists of straight cylinder rounded aborally. Latter forms (T. parvula 11) relate this species to Tintinnopsis lobiancoi (T. lobiancoi/ brasiliensis) See also Tintinnopsis beroidea below.
Tintinnopsis lobiancoi Daday, 1887 /brasiliensis Kofoid and Campbell, 1929. This species encompasses Tintinnopsis lobiancoi Daday, 1887, whose typical morphology is illustrated in T. lobiancoi/ brasiliensis, and Tintinnopsis brasiliensis Kofoid and Campbell, 1929, with much shorter lorica. Lorica illustrated in T. lobiancoi/ brasiliensis 5 conditionally included in this species.
Tintinnopsis parva Merkle, 1909. Individuals like those illustrated in T. parva 7, T. parva 8, show incipient, small collar covered by particles, latter also present on entire bowl.
Tintinnopsis compressa (Daday, 1887). Dubious species in need of additional studies. Lorica shows slight nuchal constriction. Illustrations provided by Balech (1959) for Tintinnopsis compressa suggest morphological affinities between this species and T. campanula/butschlii.
Tintinnopsis beroidea Stein, 1867. Despite wealth of information on this species, including cytological studies (Gold and Morales, 1975), its taxonomic status still dubious, especially regarding its relationships with Tintinnopsis parvula Jörgensen (see extensive synonymies in Kofoid and Campbell, 1929, and herein).
Tintinnopsis pusilla Hada, 1937 /laevis Wailes, 1925. Tintinnopsis pusilla/laevis comprises Tintinnopsis pusilla Hada, 1937 and Tintinnopsis laevis Wailes, 1925. Morphological transitions in aboral ends of these specimens (see illustrations of species) do not support status as independent species. However, further cytological studies are required to confirm this grouping.
Tintinnopsis prowazeki Faría and Da Cunha, 1917. Aboral horn as long as collar. Resembles Codonellopsis morphologically (particularly Codonellopsis gaussi forma typica, C. gaussi 5).
"Tintinnopsis" cratera (Leidy, 1879)
"Tintinnopsis" rioplatensis Souto, 1970
Above two species (not illustrated) are fresh-water inhabitants reported from the Río de la Plata estuary (Souto, 1979).