The genus Tripocalpis opens the series of Archipilida, or of those Monocyrtida in which the monothalamous shell exhibits a distinct triradial structure, and a simple open mouth, without cortinar lattice. Tripocalpis is probably the most primordial of the Archipilida, and has three lateral ribs, which are prolonged into three free terminal feet, and connected in the apex of the pyramidal or campanulate shell with the apical horn. It may probably be derived from Dictyophimus by loss of the cephalis. The central capsule is simple, spherical, or ellipsoidal.
1. Tripocalpis plectaniscus, n. sp.
Shell three-sided pyramidal, smooth, about as long as broad, with irregular polygonal pores and thin bars. Apical horn stout, three-sided pyramidal, about as long as the shell. From the three edges of its base arise three prominent straight radial ribs, which are prolonged into three large divergent feet, of equal size and the same form as the horn.
Dimensions.—Shell 0.1 diameter, horn and feet 0.12.
Habitat.—Tropical Pacific (Philippine Sea), Station 206, depth 2100 fathoms.
2. Tripocalpis galea, Haeckel.
Halicalyptra galea, Ehrenberg, 1875, Abhandl. d. k. Akad. d. Wiss. Berlin, p. 74, Taf. ii. fig. 10.
Shell campanulate, rough, about as long as broad, with irregular roundish pores and thick bars. Apical horn stout, three-sided pyramidal, scarcely one-fourth as long as the shell. Beyond its base there arise three prominent, slightly curved lateral ribs, which are prolonged into three pyramidal, slightly divergent stout feet, somewhat shorter than the shell.
Dimensions.—Shell 0.08 to 0.09 diameter, horn 0.02, feet 0.07.
Habitat.—Fossil in Barbados.