Propustularia, SCHILDER, 1927

Groves, Lindsey & Squires, Richard L., 2023, Revision of northeast Pacific Paleogene cypraeoidean gastropods, including recognition of three new species: implications for paleobiogeographic distribution and faunal turnover, PaleoBios 40 (10), pp. 1-52 : 9

PROPUSTULARIA SCHILDER, 1927

Type Species— Cypraea surinamensis Perry, 1811 , by original designation (of Schilder, 1927: p. 104); Holocene, southern Florida to northern Brazil.

Diagnosis— Shell of medium size, moderately inflated to inflated, smooth. Basal margin of shell can have distinct border. Aperture widens anteriorly and strongly curves posteriorly to left. Outer lip can be somewhat swollen. Teeth strong on both lips and can have extensive lateral extent. Teeth on outer lip numerous and closely spaced, either approximately same strength as those on inner lip or stronger. Teeth on inner lip numerous and commonly weaker than those on outer lip. Inner lip crenulations can extend short distance across basal face and onto outer lip. Fossula can be prominent and moderately long. Terminal ridge, if present, narrow and sharp. Posterior terminations (rostrae) short and low, and generally equal ( Schilder 1927: p. 103).

Geologic Range— Paleocene (Selandian) [herein] through Holocene; extant record based on a single extant species, which is the type species of the genus.

Remarks— Meyer’s (2004: fig. 2) molecular work on cowries placed a clade, consisting of Propustularia , Nesiocypraea Azuma and Kurohara, 1967 , and Ipsa Jousseaume, 1884 , as basal to all cowries. Although the earliest known record of Propustularia is in the NEP region (lower upper Paleocene Selandian Stage) (new information), the place of origin of Propustularia has not been determined. Lorenz (2017: p. 211) reported that Propustularia is part of a lineage that encompasses the erosariines. Also according to him, the ancient genus Propustularia and its associated erosarine genera comprise a great variety of fossil taxa from America and Europe. These taxa are the genera Subepona Dolin and Lozouet, 2004 , Praerosaria Dolin and Lozouet, 2004 , and Eopustularia Fehse, 2010 [= Subepona Dolin and Lozouet, 2004 ].

Although this genus is extant, it is represented today only by its type species, Propustularia surinamensis ( Perry, 1811) , found only in the southern Florida to northern Brazil. It could be that Propustularia originated in the Caribbean area during the early to middle Paleocene and then spread into Baja California and southern California, both of which are known to have undergone considerable tectonic transport northward starting during the Miocene ( Hornafius et al., 1986). This genus could have, however, originated in the Pacific Ocean region.