Genus Paroxystele Schultz, 1969

TYPE SPECIES. — Trochus patulus Brocchi, 1814, by original designation. Late Miocene-Pliocene, Mediterranean Sea.

Paroxystele orientale (Cossmann & Peyrot, 1917) (Fig. 3 A1-A4)

Oxystele orientalis Cossmann & Peyrot, 1917: 102 .

Paroxystele orientale – Landau et al. 2013: 28, pl. 1, fig. 8 (cum syn.).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Sample F11: AMPG (IV) 1506-1508 (three specimens).

DIMENSIONS. — Maximum height: 3.2 mm (incomplete); maximum diameter: 4.2 mm.

DISTRIBUTION. — Early Miocene. Paratethys: Austria (Schaffer 1912); Proto-Mediterranean Sea: Greece (this paper).

Middle Miocene. Proto-Mediterranean Sea: Turkey (Landau et al. 2013); Paratethys: Austria (Hörnes 1855), Poland (Bałuk 1975), Hungary (Strausz 1966).

DESCRIPTION

Protonch of about 150-160 µm, corroded. First three teleoconch whorls high spired, later whorls much more flat-sided. Spiral sculpture of 10-11 spiral cords of alternating strength. Discrete axial sculpture present with inconspicuous growth lines giving a rough appearance in spaces between spiral cords; these growth lines become more prominent in later whorls, forming very fine lamellae. Umbilicus not preserved. Colour is preserved in all specimens, almost white apically, grading into darker orange-brown with some irregularly spaced white blotches in later whorls.

REMARKS

Although the specimens recovered are incomplete, the characters available are in agreement with the description of the species by Landau et al. (2013). Furthermore, a complete list of synonymy is provided by Landau et al. (2013), followed by a comparison with other Miocene species.

Species of Trochidae are commonly associated with hard substrata (Williams et al. 2010).