Coralliophila biconica 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 : 68

Coralliophila biconica Boettger, 1906

Figs 37 , 40A 1 –A 2

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

Coralliophila biconica Boettger — Zilch 1934: 252, pl. 15, fig. 83.

Coralliophila biconica Boettger — Toth 1948: 403.

C [oralliophila]. biconica Bttg. — Sieber 1958: 147.

C [oralliophila]. biconica Boettger — Kovács 2020: 459.

Type material. Holotype SFM 366520 (12-2249a), SL: 10.2 mm, MD: 6.3 mm, CoŞteiu de Sus ( Romania), illustrated in Zilch (1934: pl. 15, fig. 83), figs. 40A 1 –A 2.

Revised description. Small, broadly biconic shell; apical angle 75°. Protoconch low conical, of 1.5 convex whorls. Teleoconch of up to four whorls. Suture distinctly incised, narrow. First teleoconch whorl with strong shoulder. Later whorls with broad, straight-sided subsutural ramp and markedly angled shoulder placed just above suture. Axial sculpture of nine drop-shaped axial ribs, fading adapically. Spiral sculpture of close-set, scabrose adis, IP, abis and two subequal tertiary cords. P1 keel-like, very prominent along shoulder and placed above adapical suture. Last whorl attaining 80% of total height with steep, straight-sided subsutural ramp, sharply angled shoulder, regularly conical below. Axial sculpture of eight weak, fold-like ribs. Seven subequal, scabrose spiral cords on subsutural ramp including adis, IP, abis; P1 very prominent, keel-like; P1–P6, ADP and s1–s5 scabrose, rounded spiral cords of subequal strength to primaries; P6 on siphonal canal; MP, ABP and EAB1 slightly more prominent. Weakly scabrose growth lines in interspaces. Fasciole very weakly swollen. Aperture moderately wide. Columella forming narrow, adherent rim, sharply delimited from base. Anal canal weakly incised. Outer lip thin, smooth. Siphonal canal moderately short, wide, open, shallowly notched.

Discussion. This species is most similar to the Late Miocene to Pliocene Mediterranean Coralliophila turbiniformis ( Mayer, 1874) in its biconic profile and strongly keeled shoulder, but that species is about twice the size, broader, squatter, lower spired, the difference between the strength of the primary and secondary cords is greater, P2 can be more prominent and the siphonal fasciole is more strongly developed (see Landau et al. 2007: pl. 15, figs. 6, 7).

Coralliophila hoplites sp. nov. is similar in profile but is stockier, on the spire whorls P1 is mostly covered by the suture on the penultimate whorl, so that spire whorls are not shouldered, P1–P6 are broader, without secondaries intercalated from P1 to P5, and the siphonal canal is shorter. Among extant species, Coralliophila elvirae d’Attilio & Emerson, 1980 , from the Indo-West Pacific Region, is somewhat reminiscent of C. biconica Boettger, 1906 in general shape but has a rounded shoulder and displays more numerous secondary cords. Coralliophila alboangulata ( Smith, 1890) , from the eastern Atlantic, has a comparable keel-like angulation and biconic shape but differs in its squatter shape and the much coarser spiral sculpture, lacking secondary cords. Similarly, Coralliophila raramaculata Kosuge & Fernandes, 1989 , from São Tomé Island, develops broader, more prominent spiral cords (particularly P4, P5, ADP and MP).

Paleoenvironment. Unknown.

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Vienna Basin: Pötzleinsdorf ( Austria) ( Toth 1948); Făget Basin: CoŞteiu 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).