Martaia zitteli ( Hoernes & Auinger, 1880 ) Harzhauser & Landau, 2021

Harzhauser, Mathias & Landau, Bernard M., 2021, The Columbellidae (Gastropoda, Buccinoidea) in the Miocene Paratethys Sea — striking diversity of a negelected group, Zootaxa 5025 (1), pp. 1-75 : 54-56

Martaia zitteli ( Hoernes & Auinger, 1880) nov. comb.

Figs 16D 1 –D 2 , E 1 –E 2 , F 1 –F 2

Anachis Zitteli nov. form.—Hoernes 1880: 127 [nomen nudum].

* Columbella (Anachis) Zitteli nov. form.— Hoernes & Auinger 1880: 99, pl. 11, figs 19–21.

Columbella (Anachis) Zitteli Hö. Au. — Boettger 1906: 17.

Pyrene (Anachis) zitteli Hoernes et Auinger — Csepreghy-Meznerics 1969: 83, pl. 3, figs 18–19.

Type material. Lectotype (designated herein): NHMW1875 /0009/0010c, SL: 14.2 mm, MD: 5.8 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), illustrated by Hoernes & Auinger (1880, pl. 11, figs 21a–b), Figs 16F 1 –F 2 . Paralectotypes: NHMW1875 /0009/0010b, SL: 16.5 mm, MD: 6.5 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania) , illustrated by Hoernes &Auinger (1880, pl. 11, figs 19a–b), Figs 16D 1 –D 2 . NHMW1875 /0009/0010a, SL: 14.5 mm, MD: 5.4 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania) , illustrated by Hoernes & Auinger (1880, pl. 11, figs 20a–b), Figs 16E 1 –E 2 . NHMW1863 /0015/9157, 3 spec., Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania) .

Description. Shell medium sized, moderately broad fusiform. Protoconch unknown. Teleoconch of about eight whorls. Early spire whorls narrowly conical, high, weakly convex, with prominent, orthocline axial ribs separated by narrower interspaces. Spiral sculpture appears by third teleoconch whorl, consisting of a weak adapical spiral groove cutting the ribs to form a subsutural row of small beads. Two additional spiral grooves appear on fourth whorl below mid-whorl, abapically subsequent whorls with six to seven broad, band-like spirals slightly swollen over ribs. Penultimate whorl increasing in diameter and convexity with deep suture. Last whorl somewhat irregularly convex, moderately to strongly constricted at base. Axial ribs fading on last whorl resulting in predominant spiral sculpture of dense, broad spiral cords. Aperture narrow. Outer lip thickened with strongly developed internal labial callus pad, and about seven very prominent denticles, those on centre of callus pad somewhat stronger. Anal canal wide, U-shaped. Siphonal canal moderately short and wide. Columellar callus forming narrow rim, weakly detached from base with four subobsolete columellar denticles. Parietal callus thin.

Shell measurements and ratios. SL: 14.2–16.5 mm, MD: 5.4–6.5 mm, AA: 35–37°, SL/MD: 2.5–2.8, AL/AW: 3.6–4.1, LWH/AH: 1.3–1.4.

Discussion. The early teleoconch characters of Martaia zitteli ( Hoernes & Auinger, 1880) and M. dujardini ( Hoernes & Auinger, 1880) are identical, and both species are characterised by a growth allometry of the last spire whorls. However, M. dujardini can be distinguished by its subcylindrical last whorl and the coarser denticles within the outer lip of M. zitteli .

Palaeoenvironment. Unknown.

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (middle Miocene): Bükk Mountains: Borsodbóta ( Hungary)

( Csepreghy-Meznerics 1969); Făget Basin: Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania).

Genus Bellacolumbella nov. gen.

Type species. Columbella (Nitidella) karreri Hoernes & Auinger, 1880 . Middle Miocene , Austria .

Etymology. Combination of “ Bella ” (Italian for beauty) and “ Columbella ”.

Diagnosis. Small, delicate, moderately broad fusiform shells with high, more or less gradate spire, constricted base and long siphonal canal characterised by a large multispiral protoconch with delicate axial sculpture and prominent axial ribs on teleoconch, which may form pointed nodes at adapical suture.

Description. Shell small, moderately broad fusiform, thin, with high, more or less gradate spire with deeply incised suture. Low conical multispiral protoconch of up to four convex whorls with incised suture, terminating in moderately deep sinusigera. Microsculpture of delicate axial ribs being most prominent below mid-whorl, adapically fading out. Teleoconch of four whorls. Spire whorls weakly convex to flat-sided subcylindrical. Last whorls subcylindrical to weakly convex, strongly constricted at base with long siphonal canal. Sculpture of prominent orthocline to weakly opisthocline axial ribs, adapically terminating in pointed tips or nodes in some species. Nodes may unite into weak subsutural spiral cord. Spiral sculpture of weak spiral cords confined to base. Aperture wide to moderately wide. Outer lip thin or weakly thickened with about six faint to prominent denticles; without inner labial callus pad. Columella slightly twisted forming indistinct fold. Anal canal indistinct; siphonal canal long, narrow. Columellar callus indistinct, smooth or with indistinct denticles.

Stratigraphic and geographic range. Middle Miocene (Badenian, Langhian), Central Paratethys Sea, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania.

Included species. Columbella (Nitidella) karreri Hoernes &Auinger, 1880 , Columbella (Nitidella) embryonalis Boettger, 1902 , Columbella (Nitidella) katharinae Hoernes & Auinger, 1880 .

Palaeoenvironment. Middle to outer neritic.

Discussion. Almost identical protoconch microsculpture is seen in Seminella makemoensis Monsecour & Monsecour, 2015 ) ( Monsecour & Monsecour 2015, pl. 2, fig.19) and Seminella peasei sensu Monsecour & Monsecour 2015 ( Monsecour & Monsecour 2015, pl. 2 fig. 22) [not that according to Marta deMaintenon (pers. comm.), this specimen is Seminella virginea Gould, 1860 and not S. peasei ( Martens & Langkavel, 1871) ]. A relation with Seminella Pease, 1868 , however, can be excluded based on the stout fusiform outline, the less constricted base, shorter siphonal canal and narrower aperture of Seminella . Similarly, Pleurifera Drivas & Jay, 1997 species , such as P. lepida Monsecour & Monsecour, 2016 , P. tenuilabris Monsecour & Monsecour, 2016 and P. suzannae ( Drivas & Jay, 1990) , are characterised by a multispiral protoconch with axial ribs. Although Pleurifera may develop weak axial sculpture on early teleoconch whorls, adult shells are smooth and lack the gradate spire of Bellacolumbella .

The general teleoconch shape of Bellacolumbella is reminiscent of some western Atlantic deep sea species of Anachis sensu Lima & Guimarães 2015 , such as Anachis rechonchuda Lima & Guimarães, 2015 , A. stricta ( Watson, 1882) and A. strix (Watson, 1886) . These species have gradate spires and prominent axial ribs, which may form pointed tips at their adapical terminations. Despite these striking teleoconch morphological similarities with Bellacolumbella , the protoconchs of these species are paucispiral. In addition, the (paleo)geographic and stratigraphic separation of both species groups supports a systematic separation. Species in the genus Costoanachis Sacco, 1890 are more robust, less gradate, develop columellar denticles and have a smooth protoconch.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Map of central and south–eastern Europe, representing the area that was partly covered by the Central Paratethys Sea. The white insert corresponds to the area that is restored in the palaeogeographic map below. B. Paleogeography of the Middle Miocene Paratethys Sea showing the most important sedimentary basins (NAFB: North Alpine Foreland Basin, E–Sopr B: Eisenstadt–Sopron Basin).

FIGURE 2. Measurements for shell morphology and whorl profiles. SL: shell length, MD: maximum diameter, AA: apical angle, LWH: last whorl height, AH: aperture height. AL: aperture length. AW: aperture width.

FIGURE 16. A1–A2. Martaia dujardini (Hoernes & Auinger, 1880), NHMW1858/0043/0018, lectotype, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). B1–B2. Martaia dujardini (Hoernes & Auinger, 1880), NHMW 1863/0015/0630a, paralectotype, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). C1–C2. Martaia dujardini (Hoernes & Auinger, 1880), NHMW1863/0015/0630b, paralectotype, SL: 17.9 mm, MD: 7.5 mm, Niederleis (Austria). D1–D2. Martaia zitteli (Hoernes & Auinger, 1880), NHMW1875/0009/0010b, paralectotype, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). E1–E2. Martaia zitteli (Hoernes & Auinger, 1880), NHMW1875/0009/0010a, paralectotype, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). F1–F2. Martaia zitteli (Hoernes & Auinger, 1880), NHMW1875/0009/0010c, lectotype, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania).