Lautoconus steinabrunnensis (Sacco, 1893)

Figs 17 H, 21B1–B3, 21C1–C3, 21D1–D3

Conus (Rhizoconus) ponderosus Brocc. Var. I—Hoernes & Auinger 1879: 39 (partim), pl. 5, fig. 4 [non Lautoconus ponderosus (Brocchi, 1814)].

Conus (Rhizoconus) ponderosus Brocc. Var. II—Hoernes & Auinger 1879: 39 (partim), pl. 5, fig. 5 [non Lautoconus ponderosus (Brocchi, 1814)].

[ Conus (Chelyconus) conoponderosus Sacc.] var. steinabrunnensis Sacc. — Sacco 1893b: 75 [nov. nom. pro Conus ponderosus in Hoernes & Auinger 1879, pl. 5, fig. 4].

[ Conus (Chelyconus) conoponderosus Sacc.] var. grinzingensis Sacc. — Sacco 1893b: 75 [nov. nom. pro Conus ponderosus in Hoernes & Auinger 1879, pl. 5, fig. 5].

non Conus ponderosus Brocc. var. Steinabrunnensis Sacco—Friedberg 1911: 58, pl. 3, fig. 3, text-fig. 12.

non Conus (Rhizoconus) ponderosus steinabrunnensis — Csepreghy-Meznerics 1956: plate captions, pl. 11, figs 11–12.

non Conus (Rhizoconus) ponderosus grinzingensis Sacco—Csepreghy-Meznerics 1956: 436, pl. 10, figs 1–2.

non Conus (Chelyconus) ponderosus steinabrunnensis (Sacco, 1893) — Atanacković 1985: 177, pl. 39, figs 12–13.

non Conus ponderosus steinabrunnensis (Sacco) — Ionesi & Nicorici 1994: 62, pl. 5, fig. 6.

non Conus (Chelyconus) ponderosus var. steinabrunnensis (Sacco) —Kojumdgieva in Kojumdgieva & Strachimirov 1960: 213, pl. 50, fig. 8 [? Kalloconus ponderoaustriacus (Sacco, 1893)].

non Conus (Rhizoconus) steinabrunnensis (Sacco, 1893) — Bałuk 1997: 61, pl. 22, figs 1–3.

non Chelyconus steinabrunnensis (Sacco, 1893) — Kovács & Vicián 2013: 61, figs 22–27.

Type material. Holotype NHMW 1855 /0045/0005, Steinebrunn (Austria), illustrated in Hoernes & Auinger (1879, pl. 5, fig. 4), middle Miocene ( Badenian). The type locality of Conus grinzingensis Sacco, 1893, considered to be a junior synonym of L. steinabrunnensis, is the middle Miocene (Badenian) locality Grinzing in Austria .

Studied material. Holotype and 3 spec. NHMW 1855 /0045/0005, Steinebrunn (Austria); 3 spec. NHMW 1857 /0014/0007, Steinebrunn (Austria); 7 spec. NHMW 1846 /0037/0049, Gainfarn (Austria); 1 spec. NHMW 1855 /0045/0356, Gainfarn (Austria); 4 spec. NHMW 1847 /0046/0003, Szob (Hungary); 8 spec . NHMW 1865 / 0001/0764, Grinzing (Austria), including specimen illustrated in Hoernes & Auinger (1879, pl. 5, fig. 5) (= holotype of Conus grinzingensis Sacco, 1893); 2 spec . NHMW 1846 /0037/0045, Grinzing (Austria); 2 spec. NHMW 1854 /0035/0037, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania); 3 spec. NHMW 1870 /0054/0038, Enzesfeld (Austria); 2 spec. NHMW 1860 /0001/0067, Mikulov-Kienberk (Czech Republic); middle Miocene, Badenian ( Langhian, Serravallian?).

Illustrated material. Figs 21 B1–B3: Grinzing (Austria): SL: 48.8 mm, MD: 26.4 mm, NHMW 1865/0001/ 0 764, specimen illustrated in Hoernes & Auinger (1879, pl. 5, fig. 5) (= holotype of Conus grinzingensis Sacco, 1893); Figs 21 C1–C3: holotype, Steinebrunn (Austria): SL: 54.6 mm, MD: 30.2 mm, NHMW 1855/0045/0005; Figs 21 D1–D3, 17H: Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania): SL: 54.2 mm, MD: 28.3 mm, NHMW 1854/0035/0037.

Revised description. Medium-sized shells with medium-low conical to slightly coeloconoid spire; spire whorls flat, weakly striate, slowly increasing in width. Last spire whorl often smooth; suture channelled. Subsutural flexure shallow, moderately curved, moderately asymmetrical. Last whorl elongate conical, not constricted, usually distinctly angulated, with weak convexity below shoulder, coinciding with position of maximum diameter. Weak spiral grooves may be present on lower third of last whorl. Siphonal canal moderately long, straight or weakly recurved. Aperture moderately narrow, anteriorly widening; siphonal fasciole indistinct, weakly swollen, twisted, well demarcated from narrow inner lip. Colour pattern under UV light consists of large and irregular blotches on the last whorl and flammulae on spire whorls.

Shell measurements and ratios. n = 24 adult specimens: largest specimen: SL: 61.5 mm, MD: 32.5 mm, mean SL: 51.8 mm (σ = 5.5), mean MD: 28.2 mm (σ = 2.8), spire angle: µ = 101.1° (σ = 8.6°), last whorl angle: µ = 35.3° (σ = 2.1°), LW: µ = 1.8 (σ = 0.08), RD: µ = 0.65 (σ = 0.03), PMD: µ = 0.88 (σ = 0.03), RSH: µ = 0.17 (σ = 0.03).

Discussion. Hoernes & Auinger (18979) separated several shells from the Vienna Basin as variety II based on the slightly more elongate last whorl and the less pronounced angulation. Later, Sacco (1893b) introduced the variety name grinzingensis for these shells, based on the illustration in Hoernes & Auinger (1879, pl. 5, fig. 5). In the lots assigned to variety II by Hoernes & Auinger (1879), there is only a single pathologic specimen with a more elongate last whorl, whereas all others do not differ at all from the specimens assigned by them to variety I. Consequently, the morphometric analysis of the measurements and shell ratios as given in Table 1 did not support any separation. Therefore, we consider Conus grinzingensis Sacco, 1893 as a subjective junior synonym of Lautoconus steinabrunnensis .

This species was established by Sacco (1893b) as variety of his Conus conoponderosus from the Tortonian of Italy. The Paratethyan species differs from the rather stout Lautoconus conoponderosus (Sacco, 1893) in the larger size, more slender outline and the distinct angulation at the shoulder (see syntype of L. conoponderosus in Ferrero- Mortara et al. 1984, pl. 18, fig. 10).

Lautoconus steinabrunnensis is among the most misinterpreted species of the Paratethyan cones. All specimens illustrated as Conus steinabrunnensis in Paratethyan literature since Hoernes & Auinger (1879) seem to be based on misidentifications. For example the specimens described by Kojumdgieva in Kojumdgieva & Strachimirov (1960), Atanacković (1985), Ionesi & Nicorici (1994), Bałuk (1997) and Kovács & Vicián (2013) differ in their much lower spires and the ventricose last whorls and /or the stout last whorls and represent various other species.

Paleoenvironment. Shallow marine environments; at least at Gainfarn, the species was associated with seagrass (Zuschin et al. 2007).

Distribution in Paratethys. Badenian (middle Miocene): Vienna Basin: Steinebrunn, Enzesfeld, Gainfarn, Grinzing (Austria), Mikulov-Kienberk (Czech Republic) (Hoernes & Auinger 1879; Sieber 1958b); Eisenstadt- Sopron Basin: Forchtenau (Austria) (Sieber 1958b); Carpathian Foredeep: Bořitov (Czech Republic) (Hoernes & Auinger 1879), Pannonian Basin: Szob (Hungary) (Hoernes & Auinger 1879); Transylvanian Basin: Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania) (Hoernes & Auinger 1879).