Terebralia lignitarum ( Eichwald, 1830 )

Thivaiou, Danae, Harzhauser, Mathias & Koskeridou, Efterpi, 2019, Early Miocene Gastropods from the Felli Section (Proto-Mediterranean Sea NW Greece), Geodiversitas 41 (8), pp. 323-366 : 334-335

Terebralia lignitarum ( Eichwald, 1830) (Fig. 4 E1-E3)

Cerithium lignitarum Eichwald, 1830: 224 .

Terebralia lignitarum – Landau et al. 2013 (cum syn.): 51, pl. 4, fig. 11.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — AMPG ( IV) 2304-2305 (two specimens).

DIMENSIONS. — Maximum height: 91.0 mm.

DISTRIBUTION. — Late Oligocene. Proto-Mediterranean Sea: Turkey ( İslamoğlu 2008), Greece ( Harzhauser 2004); Paratethys: Hungary ( Janssen 1984); east-African-Arabian province: Oman ( Harzhauser 2007).

Early Miocene. NE Atlantic: France ( Cossmann & Peyrot 1922; Lozouet et al. 2001); Proto-Mediterranean Sea: Italy ( Sacco 1895b), Greece ( Harzhauser & Kowalke 2001), Turkey ( Landau et al. 2013); Paratethys: Austria ( Harzhauser & Kowalke 2001).

Middle Miocene. NE Atlantic: France ( Cossmann & Peyrot 1922; Glibert 1949); Paratethys: Austria ( Hörnes 1856), Poland ( Bałuk 1975), Hungary ( Strausz 1966); Eastern Paratethys ( Landau et al. 2013).

Late Miocene. NE Atlantic: Portugal ( Landau et al. 2013); eastern Mediterranean Sea: Italy ( Sacco 1895b), Greece ( Dermitzakis 1972).

REMARKS

In the studied material, a few specimens are present that could be juvenile specimens of T. lignitarum . The species is well known from the Oligocene and the Miocene of the Paratethys, the Western Tethys – Proto-Mediterranean and the North Atlantic Ocean, and is commonly found in lagoonal or brackish environments. It is also present in the Middle Miocene (Serravallian) of Turkey ( Landau et al. 2013).

The morphological variation of the species has led to the creation of some varieties, mainly by Sacco (1888, 1895b). The shape of the shell can be more or less elongated, and the sculpture can form some axial tubercules. Landau et al. (2013) also provide a full list of synonyms and a discussion on the nomenclature and the morphological variations.

Modern representatives of Terebralia are found in mangroves or mudflats ( Reid et al. 2008). In the fossil record T. lignitarum is found in brackish deposits ( Landau et al. 2013), mudflats ( Latal et al. 2006) and mangroves ( Harzhauser 2007).

Figures

FIG. 4. — A1-A3, Bittium larrieyense Vignal, 1911: A1, AMPG(IV) 1891 (SEM image); A2, A3, AMPG(IV) 1646; B1-B3, Granulolabium plicatum (Bruguière, 1792): B1, AMPG(IV) 2089 (SEM image); B2, B3, AMPG(IV) 2167; C1-C3, Gibborissoia varicosa (de Basterot, 1825): C1, AMPG(IV) 2239 (SEM image); C2, C3, AMPG(IV) 2240; D, Mesohalina margaritacea (Brocchi, 1814), AMPG(IV) 2294 (SEM image); E1-E3, Terebralia lignitarum (Eichwald, 1830), AMPG(IV) 2304; F1-F3, Terebralia subcorrugata d’Orbigny, 1852, AMPG(IV) 2306; G1-G4, Finella perpusilla (Grateloup, 1827): G1, G2, AMPG(IV) 2308; G3, AMPG(IV) 2309 (SEM image); G4, AMPG(IV) 2309, protoconch (SEM image); H1-H4, Turritella turris de Basterot,1825:H1, H2, AMPG(IV) 2404;H3, AMPG(IV) 2405 (SEM image); H4, AMPG(IV) 2405, protoconch (SEM image). Scale bars: A1, C2, C3, G1, G2, H1-H3, 500 µm; A2, A3, D, 1 mm; B1, G3, C1, 400 µm; B2, B3, 5 mm; E1-E3, 10 mm; F1-F3, 2 mm; G4, H4, 200 µm.