Bathraspira Cossmann, 1906

Gründel, Joachim & Nützel, Alexander, 2013, Evolution and classification of Mesozoic mathildoid gastropods, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 58 (4), pp. 803-826 : 807

Genus Bathraspira Cossmann, 1906

Fig. 2B, C .

Type species: Cerithium tectum Orbigny, 1842 , original designation; Albian , France .

Included species: The protoconch is known only for Bathraspira pagodoidea ( Kiel, 2006) . All the other species of Bathraspira remain therefore uncertain.

Remarks.—Usually, Bathraspira was assigned to the caenogastropod familiy Procerithiidae (for example Cossmann 1906; Abbass 1973; Kiel 2006). Protoconch and early teleoconch whorls have been unknown until Kiel (2006) described Gymnothilda pagodoidea from the Albian of Madagascar. This species unites a mature teleoconch which is typical for Bathraspira and a protoconch as well as early teleoconch whorls which are typical for Gymnothilda . If the juvenile specimen of this species illustrated by Kiel (2006: fig. 8/1) was found alone, it would be certainly assigned to Gymnothilda . Steffen Kiel (personal communication 2010) also agreed that “ Gymnothilda ” pagodoidea belongs to Bathraspira . It is yet unknown whether this ontogenetic change is also present in other Bathraspira species. In any case, Bathraspira pagodoidea ( Kiel, 2006) is certainly a member of the Mathildidae . Bathraspira sp. sensu Kollmann 1982 (late Early Cretaceous) represents a juvenile specimen consisting of a protoconch and two teleoconch whorls; it shows the characters of Tricarilda . Stratigraphic and geographic range.— Bathraspira is known only from the Cretaceous; France, England, Madagascar.

Figures

Fig. 2. Type species and examples for Cretaceous genera of the family Mathildidae. A. Gymnothilda levata Schröder, 1995, Wąwał, Valanginian; from Kaim (2004: fig. 113A1). B, C. Bathraspira pagodoidea (Kiel, 2006), Mahajanga Basin/Madagascar, Albian; from Kiel (2006: figs. 8.1, 8.2). Juvenile (B) and adult (C) specimens.