Pseudofusus palatinus ( Strausz, 1954 )

Harzhauser, Mathias, Landau, Bernard M. & Vermeij, Geerat J., 2024, The Dolicholatiridae and Fasciolariidae (Gastropoda, Buccinoidea) of the Miocene Paratethys Sea, Zootaxa 5470 (1), pp. 1-92 : 53-54

Pseudofusus palatinus ( Strausz, 1954)

Figs 21B 1 –B 3

* Fusus (Streptochetus) clavatus palatinus nov. var. — Strausz 1954: 31, pl. 4, figs 100a–b.

Fusus (Aptyxis) lamellosus palatinus Strausz, 1954 — Strausz 1966: 345, pl. 27, figs 1–2.

Aptyxis palatina (Strausz) — Kovács 2022: 95, figs 98–100.

Type material. Neotype (designated by Kovács 2022: 95), Inv.55.78.1, SL: 27 mm, MD: 10 mm, Bakony Natural History Museum (Rirc, Hungary), Várpalota ( Hungary), Figs 21B 1 –B 3 .

Revised description. Medium-sized, slender fusiform shell of eight teleoconch whorls; apical angle 33°. Protoconch paucispiral of two whorls. Last protoconch whorl weakly convex with orthocline axial riblets close to transition to teleoconch. Early teleoconch whorls moderately convex with deeply incised suture. Later whorls strongly convex with weak subsutural cord, periphery placed mid-whorl, suture undulating. Broad, rounded, widely spaced axial ribs crossed by prominent spiral cords (six on penultimate whorl). Secondary spiral cords subobsolete. Last whorl attaining 60% of total height, narrow subsutural concavity with delicately scabrose growth lines, evenly convex periphery, rapidly constricting at base; base bearing numerous prominent spiral cords; fasciole indistinct. Aperture moderately wide, pyriform. Columellar callus forming thin, narrow rim. Columella broadly and weakly excavated, smooth. Anal canal indistinct. Outer lip with weakly thickened terminal varix with about eight long lirae extending deep within aperture. Siphonal canal long, narrow, straight.

Discussion. This species was placed in the monotypic extant Aptyxis Troschel, 1868 by Strausz (1966), Landau et al. (2013) and Kovács (2022). The extant type species Aptyxis syracusana ( Linnaeus, 1758) from the Mediterranean Sea is characterized by a marked shoulder with broad subsutural ramp on which the axial ribs weaken distinctly ( Russo 2015). This morphology is quite dissimilar with the Paratethyan species, which fits well within Pseudofusus as defined by Fassio et al. (2022).

Pseudofusus aff. palatinus sensu Landau et al. (2013) , from the Serravallian of the Karaman Basin ( Turkey) is a closely related species but differs in having a lower spire (see Landau et al. 2013: pl. 31, fig. 6, pl. 67, fig. 8). Pseudofusus ligerianus ( Peyrot, 1938) , from the Middle Miocene of the Northeastern Atlantic, has shouldered whorls, bears a higher number of spiral cords and has comparatively weaker axial ribs (see Peyrot 1938: pl. 4, figs 13, 14; Glibert 1952: pl. 11, fig. 3). Pseudofusus omphalis ( Millet, 1864) , from the Late Miocene and Pliocene of the Northeastern Atlantic, differs in its stockier outline, lower spire and shorter siphonal canal ( Van Dingenen et al. 2017: pl. 2 fig. 4; Landau et al. 2019: p. 172, pl. 35, figs 1–8).

Paleoenvironment. Shallow marine, inner neritic (own data, M.H.).

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Pannonian Basin: Várpalota ( Hungary) ( Strausz 1966).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Measurements for shell morphology; AA: apical angle, SL: shell length, MD: maximum diameter, LWH: last whorl height, AH: aperture height, AL: aperture length, AW: aperture width, S: siphonal canal.

FIGURE 3. A1–A2. Dulaiania pleurotomoides (Hoernes & Auinger 1890), holotype, NHMW 1855/0043/0041.

FIGURE 21. A1–A2. Pseudofusus balteus nov. sp., NHMW 2023/0370/0001, holotype, Letkés (Hungary). B1–B3. Pseudofusus palatinus (Strausz, 1954), neotype, Inv.55.78.1, Bakony Natural History Museum (Rirc, Hungary), Várpalota (Hungary).