Eocithara, Fischer, 1883

Merle, Didier & Pacaud, Jean-Michel, 2004, New species of Eocithara Fischer, 1883 (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Harpidae) from the Early Paleogene with phylogenetic analysis of the Harpidae, Geodiversitas 26 (1), pp. 61-87 : 72

Eocithara (s.s.) sp. 1 ( Fig. 5F )

LOCALITY. — Coustouge, Aude, France, lower Ypresian.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 1 ex. ( MNHN J05430, Cossmann coll.).

MEASUREMENTS. — Height 22.8 mm (penultimate and last whorl only preserved), maximal width 12 mm.

DESCRIPTION

Oval and poorly inflated shell 22.8 mm in height and 12 mm in width. Protoconch missing. Last two teleoconch whorls preserved. Whorls weakly convex. Conical spire 18% of total length. Suture simple, linear. Axial sculpture of lamellose, abaxially oriented major varices. Posterior part of major varices adapicaly projecting, moderately covering base of penultimate whorl. Fourteen to 15 equally spaced major varices on last whorl. Several poorly preserved secondary varices between each pair of major varices. Spiral sculpture not preserved. Oblong aperture of 68% of total length. Columellar callosity small, well delineated in its labial part. Siphonal canal short, curved dorsally. Outer lip orthocline, with parasigmoid outline.

COMPARISONS

This external mold is characterized by an elongated final teleoconch whorl. In the number of its major varices and in its elongated morphology, it looks most like E. (s.s.) helenae n. sp., which also comes from the Aquitaine basin.

Eocithara (s.s.) sp. 2 ( Fig. 5G, H ) LOCALITY. — Les Capitelles, North of Aragon, Aude, France, lower Ypresian.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 2 ex. ( MNHN R 63432 and MNHN R 63433, Courtesolle-Griffe coll.).

MEASUREMENTS. — R63432: height 31 mm (broken base and broken first whorls), maximal width 25 mm; R63433: height 42 mm (broken first whorls), maximal width 26 mm.

DESCRIPTION

Oval, inflated shell 42 mm in height and 26 mm in width. Protoconch missing. Three preserved teleoconch whorls. Whorls convex. Conical spire 12% of total length. Suture simple, linear. Axial sculpture of lamellose, abaxially oriented major varices. Posterior part of major varices adapicaly projecting, moderately covering base of penultimate whorl. Ten equally spaced major varices on last whorl. No secondary varices preserved between major varices. Spiral sculpture not preserved. Oblong aperture of 71% of total length. Columellar callosity small, well delineated in its labial part. Siphonal canal short, curved dorsally. Outer lip orthocline, with parasigmoid outline.

COMPARISONS

These two other lower Ypresian specimens of Eocithara (s.s.), preserved as external molds, mainly differ from Eocithara (s.s.)sp. 1 and from E. (s.s.) helenae n. sp. by having more inflated whorls and by their greater size. They look more like Eocithara (s.s.) mutica than E. (s.s.) helenae n. sp.

Figures

FIG. 5. — A-C, Eocithara (s.s.) eucosmia n. sp., paratypes, MNHN R63434 et R63435 (Pacaud coll.), Bois-Gouët, Saffré, Loire- Atlantique, France, Bartonian; D-E, E. (s.s.) rosenkrantzi n. sp., holotype, MGUH 15818 (copy MNHN R63692), Sonja Lens, East of Turritellakløft, Nuussuaq Peninsula, West Greenland, Thanetian (Agatdal Formation); F, E. (s.s.) sp. 1, MNHN J05430 (Cossmann coll.), Coustouge, Aude, France, lower Ypresian; G-H, Eocithara (s.s.) sp. 2, MNHN R63432 and R63433 (Courtessolle-Griffe coll.), Les Capitelles, North of Aragon, Aude, France, lower Ypresian. Scale bars: A-E, 5 mm; F-H, 10 mm.