Coralliophila gracilispira Boettger, 1906

Harzhauser, Mathias, Landau, Bernard M. & Merle, Didier, 2025, The Muricidae (Gastropoda, Muricoidea) of the Miocene Paratethys Sea (Aspellinae, Ergalataxinae, Coralliophilinae, Rapaninae), Zootaxa 5611 (1), pp. 1-106 : 71-72

Coralliophila gracilispira Boettger, 1906

Figs 37 , 40B 1 –B 2

* Coralliophila gracilispira n. sp. — Boettger 1906: 35.

Coralliophila gracilispira Boettger — Zilch 1934: 252, pl. 15, fig. 82.

Coralliophila (Coralliophila) gracilispira Boettger 1906 — Bałuk 1995: 230, pl. 27, figs. 7–9.

Coralliophila sp. — Bałuk 2006: 210, pl. 13, fig. 9.

Coralliophila gracilispira Boettger — Vicián et al. 2017: 270, pl. 2, figs. 20–21.

Coralliophila gracilispira Boettger 1906 — Kovács et al. 2018: 129, figs. 9J–K.

Coralliophila gracilispira Boettger — Kovács 2020: 464, pl. 4, fig. 24.

Type material. Holotype SFM 366521 (=12-2249a), Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), SL: 12.5 mm, MD: 6.4 mm, illustrated in Zilch (1934: pl. 15, fig. 82), figs. 40B 1 –B 2.

Revised description. Small, slender biconic shell with scalate spire; apical angle 68°. Protoconch unknown. Teleoconch of up to five whorls. Suture moderately incised. Early teleoconch whorls with broad, steep subsutural ramp and marked angulation placed short distance above suture. Axial sculpture of eight slightly prosocline ribs with slightly wider interspaces, fading adapically. Spiral sculpture of moderately prominent adis, IP and abis with weaker secondary cords; P1–P3 prominent. Later whorls allometrically increasing in height; angled periphery moving to mid-whorl. Last whorl attaining 70% of total height, with steep, straight-sided subsutural ramp, roundly angled shoulder, conical below. Axial sculpture subobsolete with about eight fold-like varices. Spiral sculpture of indistinct, scabrose subsutural cord, prominent adis, IP, abis and tertiary cord in interspaces. On convex part of whorl and siphonal canal, P1–P4, ADP prominent; P5, P6, s3, ads, MP weaker, of subequal strength. Fasciole weakly swollen, delimiting broad pseudoumbilicus. Aperture elongate, ovate; outer lip thin, smooth. Anal canal subobsolete, wide. Siphonal canal moderately short, wide, open, straight. Columella weakly excavated, smooth. Columellar callus forming narrow, adherent rim.

Discussion. The morphology of the early spire is like that of Coralliophila elegantula sp. nov. and Coralliophila acuta sp. nov. However, both species differ from Coralliophila gracilispira Boettger, 1906 in their broader shells and finer spiral sculpture. A specimen from Korytnica ( Poland), described by Bałuk (2006), in open nomenclature is a pathological specimen of C. gracilispira with decollate last whorls. Coralliophila longa Bellardi, 1882 , from the Lower Miocene of the Colli Torinesi is less elongate and its shoulder is more rounded (see Ferrero Mortara et al. 1981: pl. 34, fig. 2).

Paleoenvironment. Occurrences at Letkés ( Hungary) point to inner neritic environments with corals ( Kovács & Vicián 2014).

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Korytnica Basin: Korytnica ( Bałuk 1995); Pannonian Basin: Letkés ( Hungary) ( Kovács et al. 2018); Mecsek Mountains: Mecsekpölöske ( Hungary) ( Kovács 2020); Făget Basin: CoŞteiu de Sus, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania) ( Boettger 1906).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cord diagrams and apertural features of Aspellinae (Aspella, Attiliosa, Dermomurex).

FIGURE 2. A–B. Aspella emmae (Boettger, 1902). A1–A2. lectotype, SFM 366519, CoŞteiu de Sus (Romania). B1–B3. NHMW 1871/0001/0182, Steinebrunn (Austria). C–E. Aspella teter sp. nov. C1–C3. paratype, NHMW 1846/0037/0235, Steinebrunn (Austria). D1–D3. holotype, NHMW 1865/0001/0560a, Steinebrunn (Austria). E1–E3. paratype, NHMW 1865/0001/0560b, Steinebrunn (Austria).

FIGURE 37. Cord diagrams of Coralliophilinae.

FIGURE 40. A1–A2. Coralliophila biconica Boettger, 1906, holotype, SFM 366520, CoŞteiu de Sus (Romania). B1–B2. Coralliophila gracilispira Boettger, 1906, holotype, SFM 366521, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). C1–C3. Coralliophila elegantula sp. nov., holotype: NHMW 1857/0024/0024, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). D1–D2. Coralliophila ficiformis (Bałuk, 1995), holotype, Z.Pal.U.W. BkK-G716, Korytnica (Poland).