Lautoconus ponderosus (Brocchi, 1814)

Figs 19 B1–B3, 19C1–C3

Conus ponderosus nob.— Brocchi 1814: 293, pl. 3, fig. 1.

Conus ponderosus Brocc. —Hörnes 1851: 26, pl. 2, figs 6a–b.

Conus (Rhizoconus) ponderosus Brocc. — Hoernes & Auinger 1879: 38 (partim, non figs.).

Conus ponderosus Brocc. F. elmenus De Greg. — De Gregorio 1885: 369 [nov. nom. pro Conus ponderosus in Hörnes 1851, pl. 2, fig. 6].

Conus ponderosus Brocchi, 1814 — Krach 1981: 77, pl. 20, figs 17–19, 21 [non fig. 20, pl. 21, figs 6–9].

Conus (Chelyconus) ponderosus Brocchi, 1814 — Bałuk 1997: 62, pl. 22, fig. 9.

Varioconus ponderosus (Brocchi, 1814) — Kovács & Vicián 2013: 87 (partim), fig. 139.

non Conus (Lithoconus) ponderosus Brocchi, 1814 — Moisescu 1955a: 164, pl. 14, figs 10–11.

non Conus ponderosus Brocc. — Eremija 1959: 187, pl. 1, figs 5-5a [? Kalloconus ponderoaustriacus (Sacco, 1893)]

Type material. Lectotype (following ICZN Article 74.6), Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano, catalogue number 4674, illustrated in Brocchi (1814, p. 293, pl. 3, fig. 1) and Pinna & Spezia (pl. 18, figs 1-1a), Parlascio, Colle, San Geminiano, Sogliano or Piacentino (Italy), Pliocene. The type locality of Conus elmenus De Gregorio, 1885, considered to be a junior synonym of C. ponderosus, is the middle Miocene locality Steinebrunn in Austria .

Studied material. 1 spec. GBA 1856/004/0001/01, Steinebrunn (Austria), illustrated in Hörnes (1851, pl. 2, fig. 6, = holotype of Conus elmenus De Gregorio, 1885); 2 spec . NHMW 1846 /0037/0064, Steinebrunn (Austria) ; 1 spec. NHMW 1860 /0001/0051, Grund, (Austria) .

Illustrated material. Figs 19 B1–B3: Steinebrunn (Austria), SL: 70.0 mm, MD: 36.3 mm: NHMW 1846/0037/ 0064; Figs 19 C1–C3: Steinebrunn (Austria): SL: 88 mm, MD: 49 mm, GBA 1856/004/0001/01, illustrated in Hörnes (1851, pl. 2, fig. 6).

Revised description. Moderately large shells with low-medium conical to slightly cyrtoconoid spire; incised suture; spire whorls nearly flat or weakly convex, adapically concave; with faint spiral threads. Subsutural flexure shallow, moderately curved, moderately asymmetrical. Last spire whorl forming a nearly flat sutural ramp passing via a weakly angulated shoulder on the elongate conical last whorl; position of maximum diameter slightly below angulation. Base slightly constricted with weak spiral grooves; indistinct siphonal fasciole well demarcated from narrow inner lip. Siphonal canal moderately long, somewhat reflected. No colour pattern preserved.

Shell measurements and ratios. 3 specimens: SL: 88/71.0/70.0 mm, MD: 49/41.5/ 36.3 mm, spire angle: 107/ 93/100°, last whorl angle: 35/36/36°, LW: 1.80/1.71/1.93, RD: 0.65/0.74/0.62, PMD: 0.90/0.91/0.91, RSH: 0.15/ 0.21/0.16.

Discussion. This species is rather rare in the Paratethyan basins. Only few specimens from Steinebrunn (Austria) agree with Miocene and Pliocene specimens as described by Hall (1966) and Davoli (1972). Several additional specimens from Poland and Hungary described by Krach (1981) and Kovács & Vicián (2013) might need confirmation. Herein we follow Hall (1966) in treating the Paratethyan shells described by Hörnes (1851) as conspecific with Conus ponderosus . Consequently, we consider Conus elmenus, which was introduced by De Gregorio (1885) as new name for the specimen illustrated by Hörnes (1851, pl. 2, fig. 6), as subjective junior synonym of Conus ponderosus Brocchi, 1814 . Nevertheless, the species concept of Hall (1966) was too wide and we reject his decision to treat Conus olivaeformis Hoernes & Auinger, 1879 and C. transsylvanicus Hoernes & Auinger, 1879 as synonyms of C. ponderosus (see discussions of respective species).

Paleoenvironment. Shallow marine environments (e.g. Letkés, Kovács & Vicián 2013).

Distribution in Paratethys. Badenian (middle Miocene): Vienna Basin: Steinebrunn (Austria) (Hörnes 1851); Pannonian Basin: Letkés (Kovács & Vicián 2013); Carpathian Foredeep: Korytnica, Węglinek, Łychów (Poland) (Bałuk 1997).

Proto-Mediterranean Sea and north eastern Atlantic. Tortonian (late Miocene): Po Basin: Montegibbio (Italy) (Davoli 1972); Pliocene: Po Basin, Toscana (Italy) (Pinna & Spezia 1978; Chirli 1997).