Article: A review of Recent and Quaternary organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts of the genus Protoperidinium

A review is given of Recent and Quaternary organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts belonging to the genus Protoperidinium Bergh emend. Balech 1974. There is a similarity between the taxonomies based upon thecal and cyst morphologies, the major difference being one of hierarchy. A scheme is presented which attempts to amalgamate the two taxonomic systems, and which shows the range of cyst morphology attributable to a single living genus, the general non-conservative nature of certain cyst morphologies, and the use of common cyst forms amongst different dinoflagellates. Two new names, Fuscusasphaeridium and Asymmetropedinium, are introduced, and Quinquecuspis Harland is emended and diagnosed in Latin.