Dictyella longispina

Order Corynexochida / Suborder Illaenina / Superfamily Illaenoidea / Family Tsinaniidae

dicty-, Greek, net; -ella, a diminutive adjectival suffix

longispina, Latin, long-spined

Body elliptical, surface smooth. Cephalon semicircular; glabella weakly convex, glabellar furrows absent; palpebral lobes medium-sized, slightly crescentic, positioned slightly behind the middle of the cranidium; anterior branches of facial sutures extending outward and obliquely, turning inward at the border and meeting at the anteriormost point of the anterior border on the sagittal line; posterior branches cutting inside the genal angles; occipital and dorsal furrows effaced; librigenae medium-sized, lateral borders wide and flat, genal spines stout. Thorax of 8 segments; axis narrower than pleurae, dorsal furrows distinct; pleurae of uniform width, pleural spines short. Pygidium semicircular; axis long-conical, divided into many faint rings; border widening posteriorly and forming a stout long pygidial spine at the end; two lateral spines present during early ontogeny.

Some studies consider this species nearly identical to Shergoldia laevigata except for the pygidial spine, and the two may represent sexual dimorphs.