Bonellitia austriaca ( Hoernes & Auinger, 1890 )

Harzhauser, Mathias & Landau, Bernard, 2012, A revision of the Neogene Cancellariid Gastropods of the Paratethys Sea 3472, Zootaxa 3472, pp. 1-71 : 10-12

Bonellitia austriaca ( Hoernes & Auinger, 1890)

Figs 3B, 4B 1–B 3, 4C 1–C 3

Cancellaria Austriaca nov. form.— Hoernes & Auinger 1890: 275, pl. 33, figs 15a–c.

Admete (Bonellitia) austriaca R. Hörnes & Auinger — Sieber 1936: 102.

? Admete (Bonellitia) cf. austriaca (R. Hoernes et Auinger) — Hölzl 1973: 194.

Type material. NHM Vienna ( Austria); see below for details .

Studied material. 2 spec. Niederleis ( Austria) NHMW 2009 z0098/0004, 1863/0015/0705); 2 spec. Drnowice ( Czech Republic) NHMW 1865 / 0036/0031, NHMW 1865 /0036/0031.

Illustrated material. Fig. 3B: Niederleis ( Austria), height: 6.7 mm, width: 4.2 mm, NHMW 1863 / 0015/0705, syntype. Figs 4B 1–B 3: syntype illustrated in Hoernes and Auinger (1890, pl. 33, figs 15a–c), Niederleis ( Austria), height: 9.6 mm, width: 6.1 mm, NHMW 2009 z0098/0004 (old number: 1863/0015/0705), Figs 4C 1–C 3: specimen from Drnowice ( Czech Republic), height: 10.9 mm, width: 7.1 mm, NHMW 1865 /0036/0031.

Description: A small species, with a low trochiform protoconch consisting of at least 2.5 whorls. The teleoconch consists of four moderately convex whorls with very deep sutures. The most characteristic feature is the unique sculpture. Very high, ridge-like and slightly prosocline axial ribs are crossed by narrow but strongly raised spiral cords. Early whorls develop two of these spirals, which increase to 11 on the last whorl. The spirals cross the axial ribs and are extraordinarily raised in the interspaces, thus producing a cancellate pattern of very deep, subquadratic pit-like interspaces. The outer lip is thickened, crenate and bears strong denticles. Inner lip forming a distinct inductura with a narrow umbilicus, bordered by a short fasciole. The two columellar folds are accompanied by beaded spirals, which correspond to the strongly raised spiral ribs of the base. Siphonal canal deeply incised and narrow.

Discussion. The conspicuous sculpture allows a clear separation from other species of this genus such as B. bonellii ( Bellardi, 1841) . Only the Chattian Bonellitia chainei ( Peyrot, 1928) from the Aquitaine Basin shares similarities in shell outline and suture-type, but differs in its much weaker cancellate sculpture.

Distribution. This rare species is known so far only from the Karpatian (Late Burdigalian) of the Paratethys Sea.

Paratethys —?Ottnangian—North Alpine Foreland Basin (Bavaria: Gernergraben); Badenian— Vienna Basin ( Austria: Niederleis, Ottakring); Southern Moravia ( Czech Republic: Drnowice).