Hiddenocysta matsuokae gen. et sp. nov. from the Holocene of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

A new dinoflagellate cyst genus and species are described here as Hiddenocysta gen. nov. and Hiddenocysta matsuokae sp. nov. from Holocene sediments in a core from the west coast of Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada). The genus Hiddenocysta encompasses spherical to ovoid skolochorate cysts, characterized by a gonyaulacoid plate pattern and a 2P precingular archeopyle. The species H. matsuokae is characterized by a granular wall and slender trifurcate processes with heavily perforated process bases. Two end members are described here based on process morphology and number of processes (formas 1 and 2). Cyst wall chemistry is analyzed using micro-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and reveals a unique dinosporin composition consistent with a gonyaulacoid autotrophic feeding strategy.