Helicidae

Salvador, Rodrigo Brincalepe, 2013, The fossil pulmonate snails of Sandelzhausen (Early / Middle Miocene, Germany): Succineidae, Testacelloidea and Helicoidea, Zootaxa 3721 (2), pp. 157-171 : 165-166

Helicidae indet.

Material examined. Cepaea sp.: BSPG 1959 II 16195 (1 spcm.), 16164 (1 spcm.), 17390 (1 spcm.), 17391 (2 spcm.), 17392 (2 spcm.), 17393 (1 spcm.), 17394 (1 spcm.), 17395 (1 spcm.), 17396 (10 spcm.), 17397 (1 spcm.), 17398 (8 spcm.), 17399 (1 spcm.), 17400 (1 spcm.), 17401 (1 spcm.), 17402 (1 spcm.), 17403 (4 spcm.), 17404 (1 spcm.), 17405 (2 spcm.), 17406 (1 spcm.), 17407 (1 spcm.), 17408 (1 spcm.), 17409 (1 spcm.), 17410 (1 spcm.), 17411 (1 spcm.), 17412 (1 spcm.), 17413 (1 spcm.), 17414 (1 spcm.), 17415 (1 spcm.), 17416 (1 spcm.), 17417 (1 spcm.), 17418 (1 spcm.), 17419 (1 spcm.), 17420 (1 spcm.), 17421 (2 spcm.), 17422 (1 spcm.), 17423 (1 spcm.), 17424 (1 spcm.), 17425 (1 spcm.), 17426 (1 spcm.), 17427 (1 spcm.), 17428 (1 spcm.), 17429 (2 spcm.), 17430 (1 spcm.), 17431 (1 spcm.), 17432 (1 spcm.), 17433 (1 spcm.), 17434 (1 spcm.), 17435 (1 spcm.), 17436 (1 spcm.), 17437 (1 spcm.), 17438 (1 spcm.), 17439 (1 spcm.), 17440 (1 spcm.), 17441 (1 spcm.), 17442 (1 spcm.), 17443 (1 spcm.), 17444 (2 spcm.), 17445 (1 spcm.), 17446 (1 spcm.), 17672 (1 spcm.), 17673 (1 spcm.), 17674 (2 spcm.), 17806 (1 spcm.), 17807 (1 spcm.), 17808 (2 spcm.), 17809 (1 spcm.), 17810 (1 spcm.), 17811 (1 spcm.), 17812 (1 spcm.), 17813 (1 spcm.), 17814 (4 spcm.), 17815 (1 spcm.), 17816 (1 spcm.), 17817 (3 spcm.), 17818 (1 spcm.), 17819 (1 spcm.), 17820 (1 spcm.), 17821 (1 spcm.), 17822 (1 spcm.), 17823 (1 spcm.), 17824 (1 spcm.), 17825 (1 spcm.), 17826 (1 spcm.), 17827 (2 spcm.), 17828 (1 spcm.), 17829 (1 spcm.), 17830 (1 spcm.), 17831 (2 spcm.), 17832 (1 spcm.), 17833 (1 spcm.), 17834 (1 spcm.), 17835 (1 spcm.), 17836 (1 spcm.), 17837 (1 spcm.).

Helicidae indet.: BSPG 1959 II 17320 (1 spcm.), 17321 (numerous fragments), 17469 (1 spcm.).

Stratigraphic occurrence. Cepaea sp.: Layers B (undetermined; 6 spcm.), B1 (2 spcm.), B2 (2 spcm.), C (undetermined; 5 spcm.), C1 (2 spcm.), C2 (1 spcm.), C3 (4 spcm.), D1 (18 spcm.) and D2 (1 spcm.). Moreover, 67 specimens are from excavation sites for which no profile is available, but, based on their height in the sediment and their preservation, it is possible to infer the layer of origin for some: 1 is likely from layer C3, 2 from D, 7 from either B or C, 2 from either B2 or C1, 3 from either C or D, and 15 from either C3 or D1. Finally, 8 specimens are from the Grube Bergmaier site and 9 specimens have no stratigraphical data at all.

Helicidae indet.: Layer D1 (1 spcm.) and either B2 or C1 (1 spcm.). Many fragments from the Grube Bergmaier site.

Previous identification of the material. Moser et al. (2009b: Nr. 66): “ Cepaea ” sp. Otherwise, same as genera Cepaea and Tropidomphalus above. Moreover, two supposed helicodontids indicated by Moser et al. (2009b: Nr. 58 and 59; respectively,? Helicodontidae fam., gen. et sp. indet. 1 and 2) are actually helicid spire tops.

Discussion. Unfortunately, a good portion of the material from Sandelzhausen is composed of unidentifiable helicid fragments or more complete but deformed shells that cannot be confidently identified (see Discussion below for more on preservational biases). Some fragments can be assigned to Cepaea while, for others, any determination below family level is not possible.

Family Helicodontidae

Genus Helicodonta Férussac ? Helicodonta sp.

( Figs. 22–23 )

Material examined. BSPG 1959 II 17678 (1 spcm.).

Stratigraphic occurrence. Likely layer C3.

Description. Shell diminutive, discoid, with depressed spire; shell height ~3/5 shell length. Protoconch sculptured by axial ribs; transition to teleoconch unclear. Teleoconch sculptured on its upper portion by strong, slightly prosocline ribs (distance between ribs equal to width of rib); lateral and basal regions sculptured by numerous scale-like elongated papillae. Suture well-marked. Whorl profile convex; whorls closely packed together, growing regularly. Umbilicus broad, deep.

Measurements (in mm). 3¾ whorl; H = 2.6; D = 4.3.

Previous identification of the material. None.

Discussion. The present specimen is somewhat deformed and lacks the aperture; nevertheless, the discoid shape, depressed spired, whorl profile and the closely packed whorls seem to indicate the genus Helicodonta . This genus is known in Europe since the Upper Oligocene (Zilch 1959–1960).

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 32. 22 – 23.? Helicodonta sp. (BSPG 1959 II 17678; D = 4.3 mm). 24 – 25. Helicodontidae indet. (BSPG 1959 II 17300; D = 3.7 mm). 26 – 27. Leucochroopsis kleinii (BSPG 1959 II 16147; D = 5.0 mm). 28 – 29. Urticicola perchtae sp. nov. (holotype; BSPG 1959 II 17312; H = 3.5 mm). 30 – 31. Urticicola perchtae sp. nov. (paratype; BSPG 1959 II 17313; H = 2.9 mm). 32. Urticicola perchtae sp. nov., protoconch detail (holotype; BSPG 1959 II 17312).