Ascheria, Kaim, Andrzej, Jenkins, Robert G., Tanabe, Kazushige & Kiel, Steffen, 2014

Kaim, Andrzej, Jenkins, Robert G., Tanabe, Kazushige & Kiel, Steffen, 2014, Mollusks from late Mesozoic seep deposits, chiefly in California, Zootaxa 3861 (5), pp. 401-440 : 416

Genus Ascheria gen. nov.

Type species. Abyssochrysos ? giganteum Kiel et al., 2008b (see Fig. 7 E–F herein) from a seep deposit on the east shore of Lake Berryessa in Napa County, California, USA; Early Cretaceous, Great Valley Group. This is locality # 12 in Kiel et al. (2008b) and was named East Berryessa therein.

Diagnosis. Large high-spired cerithiform shell with strong opisthocline axial ribs, numerous spiral lirae, and subsutural constriction developing on the adult portion of the shell. Ornament may remain throughout the ontogeny or may fade away on the adult whorls.

Species included: Abyssochrysos ? giganteum Kiel et al., 2008b from the Early Cretaceous of East Berryessa, California; Chemnitzia eucosmeta Ascher, 1906 from the Early Cretaceous of Hradiště (previously Grodischt) and Koňákov (previously Koniakau), Czech Republic; and undescribed new species from the Eocene of Barbados identified as Diastoma sp. and "Cerithid indet." by Kugler et al. (1984). The same specimens were later reillustrated and identified as “ Abyssochryssos sp.” by Gill et al. (2005: fig. 5D) and as “zygopleurid sp. B” ( Gill et al. 2005: fig. 5F, H, I).

Remarks. Ascheria differs from Abyssomelania gen. nov. described above by having evenly convex whorls, axial and spiral ornamentation throughout the ontogeny, and by the presence of a subsutural constriction. Furthermore, Ascheria lacks abyssomelanid riblets. Abyssochrysos Tomlin, 1927 differs by lacking a subsutural constriction. Humtulipsia Kiel, 2008 differs by having a deep notch in the aperture near the basal margin.

Etymology. In honor of Else Ascher who monographed the Early Cretaceous seep faunas from the Český Těšín area ( Ascher 1906).

Stratigraphic range. Early Cretaceous to late Eocene.

Figures

FIGURE 7. A – D. Ascheria? sp. from Eocene-Miocene Joes River seep sites in Barbados. A – C. NMB-H 20154, 20155, 20158 from Loc. 10039. D. NMB-H 20162 from Loc. 10070. E-F. Ascheria gigantea (Kiel et al. 2008) from? Early Cretaceous seep carbonates at East Berryessa, Napa County, California, USA. E. Holotype (UCMP 555095). F. Paratype (UCMP 555096), the arrow indicates subsutural constriction. G, J – M. Humptulipsia nobuharai sp. nov. from seep carbonates in Campanian- Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) Sada Limestone, Shikoku, Japan. G. UMUT MM 31173 fragmentary specimen displaying the humptulipsid slit (arrow) on the shell base. J. Holotype (UMUT MM 31170), the arrow indicates humtulipsid slit. K. Paratype (UMUT MM 31230). L. Paratype (UMUT MM 31171). M. Paratype (UMUT MM 31172). H, I. Humptulipsia raui (Goedert & Kaler, 1996) from seep carbonates in Western Washington State. H. Possibly a juvenile specimen (USNM 531408) of H. raui from late Oligocene Lincoln Creek Formation. I. Adult specimen (UWBM 97854) from middle Eocene Humptulips Formation (see also Kiel 2008).