Menathais viciani Kovács, 2018

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 : 91-92

Menathais viciani Kovács, 2018

Figs 48 , 51A–D

* Menathais viciani n. sp. — Kovács 2018: 32, figs. 2E–L.

Menathais viciani Kovács, 2018 — Kovács et al. 2018: 125, figs. 8E–H.

Menathais viciani Kovács, 2018 — Kovács 2019: 132, figs. 61–62.

Type material. Holotype: PAL 2017.56 .1, Hungarian Natural History Museum, SL: 22.0 mm, MD: 19.0 mm, Letkés ( Hungary), illustrated in Kovács (2018: fig 2E–F), figs. 51D 1 –D 2 . Paratypes: V2017.02 (collection Vicián ), SL: 20.0 mm, MD: 19.5 mm, Letkés ( Hungary), illustrated in Kovács (2018: fig 2G–H), figs. 51A 1 –A 2. N2017.02 (collection Németh ), SL: 26.0 mm, MD: 23.5 mm, Letkés ( Hungary), illustrated in Kovács (2018: fig 2K–L), figs. 51B 1 –B 2. H2017.10 (collection Hirmetzl ), SL: 21.5 mm, MD: 23.5 mm, Letkés ( Hungary), illustrated in Kovács (2018: fig 2I–J), figs. 51C 1 –C 2 .

Revised description. Medium-sized, solid, broadly ovate shell; apical angle ~80°. Protoconch unknown. Teleoconch of up to three whorls. Suture superficial, linear. Early teleoconch whorls with deeply concave subsutural ramp with short P1 spines at shoulder placed along suture. Spiral sculpture worn. Last whorl broadly ovate with broad subsutural collar, concave subsutural ramp, rounded shoulder, convex periphery, weakly constricted below. P1 with eight long spines. P1, P2, P4 spine on aperture most prominent; P3 atrophied; P5–P6 weak without spine; secondary cords s1–s4 weak indistinguishable from adjacent tertiary threads. Fasciole moderately swollen, flattish, delimiting very shallow, flat pseudoumbilicus. Aperture ovate; outer lip weakly thickened with subobsolete ID, D1–D4. P4 forming weak labral tooth. Anal canal deeply incised, without parietal denticle or anal ID. Siphonal canal short, very wide, open, slightly bent to the left. Columella straight, smooth, weakly twisted at siphonal canal. Columellar callus forming broad, flattish rim, poorly delimited from base, adherent.

Discussion. The extant Menathais bimaculata ( Jonas, 1845) is reminiscent of Menathais viciani Kovács, 2018 but differs in its dome-shaped spire and shorter spines. Similarly, the extant Menathais intermedia ( Kiener, 1835) differs in its shorter, rounded spines. The extant Menathais tuberosa ( Röding, 1798) has broad trigonal spines, differing from the slenderer spines of M. viciani and develops a generally higher spire.

Janssenia spinosa (Kojumdgieva in Kojumdgieva & Strachimirov, 1960) is superficially similar but differs in its higher spire, much weaker spines and deep pseudoumbilicus.

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

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Pannonian Basin: Letkés ( Hungary) ( Kovács et al. 2018); Făget Basin: Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania) ( Kovács 2019).

Genus Reishia Kuroda & Habe in Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971

Type species. Purpura bronni Dunker, 1860 [= Reishia luteostoma ( Holten, 1802) ]; original designation by Kuroda et al. 1971: 146. Present-day, Japan.

Discussion. Purpura (Stramonita) haemastomoides Hoernes & Auinger, 1882 was placed by Landau et al. (2013) in Stramonita Schumacher, 1817 [type species Buccinum haemastoma Linné, 1767 ; subsequent designation by Gray (1847: 138); present-day, Mediterranean Sea]. However, the peculiar aperture with dot-like denticles deep in the aperture exclude a close relation with Stramonita haemastoma , which develops numerous weak lirae starting at the peristome. The dot-like denticles deep in the aperture are characteristic for the extant Indo-West Pacific genus Reishia , and is well-developed on Reishia luteostoma ( Holten, 1802) and Reishia bitubercularis ( Lamarck, 1822) . Especially Reishia keluo ( Tan & Liu, 2001) from Taiwan is extraordinarily similar to the Miocene species but differs in its smaller size, higher spire and less inflated last whorl (see Tan & Liu 2001: fig. 1).

Figures

FIGURE 48. Cord diagrams and apertural features of Rapaninae.

FIGURE 51. Menathais viciani Kovács, 2018. A1–A2. paratype, V2017.02 (collection Vicián), Letkés (Hungary). B1–B2. paratype,N2017.02 (collection Németh), Letkés (Hungary).C1–C2. paratype, H2017.10 (collection Hirmetzl), Letkés (Hungary). D1–D2. holotype, PAL 2017.56.1, Letkés (Hungary).