Aspella emmae ( Boettger, 1902 )

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 : 6-7

Aspella emmae ( Boettger, 1902)

Figs 1 , 2A–B

* Ranella (Argobuccinum) emmae n. sp. — Boettger 1902: 26.

Argobuccinum emmae (Boettger) — Zilch 1934: 250, pl. 14, fig. 72 [non fig. 73,? = Aspella subanceps (d’Orbigny, 1852) ]. Ranella pygmaea Bell. — Montanaro 1935: 83, pl. 7, fig. 6 [non Ranella pygmaea Bellardi, 1873 ].

Argobuccinum emmae (Boettger) — Csepreghy-Meznerics 1969: 79, pl. 3, figs. 2, 4, 7.

[ Aspella ] emmae Boettger, 1901 — Vokes 1971: 45.

Aspella anceps ( Lamarck, 1822) — Inzani & Bertarelli 1985: 30, pl. 1, fig. 8 [non Aspella anceps ( Lamarck, 1822) ].

Aspella (Aspella) anceps ( Lamarck, 1822) — Bałuk 1995: 218, pl. 25, figs. 1–2 [non Aspella anceps ( Lamarck, 1822) ].

Aspella subanceps (d’Orbigny, 1852) — Kovács et al. 2018: 116, figs. 4A–C [non Aspella subanceps (d’Orbigny, 1852) ]. Aspella emmae ( Boettger, 1902) — Kovács 2019: 119, figs. 21–25.

Aspella emmae ( Boettger, 1902) — Forli et al. 2023: 108, figs. 3A–K.

non Aspella emmae Boettger, 1901 — Landau et al. 2007: 21, pl. 6, figs. 6–8 [= Aspella tusciae Forli, Cresti & Pagli, 2023 ]. non Aspella emmae (Boettger, 1901) — Merle et al. 2011: 208, text-fig. 71/G, p. 558, pl. 157, figs. 4–5 [= Aspella tusciae Forli,

Cresti & Pagli, 2023].

Type material. Lectotype (designated by Zilch: 1934: 250), SFM 366519 (= 12-2253a), SL: 7.8 mm, MD: 4.1 mm, CoŞteiu de Sus ( Romania), illustrated in Zilch (1934: pl. 14, fig. 72), figs. 2A 1 –A 2 . Paralectotypes: SMF 12.2253b– c, CoŞteiu de Sus ( Romania), illustrated in Forli et al. (2023: figs. 3D–I) .

Illustrated material. NHMW 1871/0001/0182, SL: 11.1 mm, MD: 6.1 mm, Steinebrunn ( Austria), illustrated in Hoernes & Auinger (1885: pl. 24, fig. 3), figs. 2B 1 –B 3.

Revised description. Small, lanceolate, bivaricate, dorsoventrally compressed shell with high spire; apical angle 45°. Protoconch conical of 2.5 smooth, weakly convex whorls (see Forli et al. 2023: 3 J–K). Teleoconch of six whorls. Suture deeply incised, shallowly undulating. Teleoconch whorls relatively high, convex with rounded shoulder in adapical third. Axial sculpture of prominent, raised varices, aligned along periphery; two weak intervarical ribs slightly swollen at adapical suture. Spiral sculpture subobsolete, P1 over indistinct shoulder on varices. Last whorl subquadrate, attaining 53% of total height, strongly constricted base, fasciole distinct, separated from siphonal canal by narrow chink. Aperture small, roundly ovate. Outer lip strongly thickened by flattened terminal varix, smooth within. Anal canal not developed. Siphonal canal moderately short, open, slightly deflected to the left. Columella smooth, excavated in adapical half. Columellar callus forming continuous, erect rim.

Discussion. The genus Aspella and its Neogene species in the Circum-Mediterranean Region were recently discussed by Forli et al. (2023). According to these authors, Pliocene records in the literature identified as Aspella emmae ( Boettger, 1902) represent Aspella tusciae Forli, Cresti & Pagli, 2023 . This species differs from A. emmae in its higher spire, more prominent intervarical axial ribs and the mamillate paucispiral protoconch (see Forli et al. 2023: figs. 4A–E). A specimen from the Tortonian of Montegibbio ( Italy), described by Montanaro (1935) as Ranella pygmaea , might represent an occurrence of A. emmae from the Proto-Mediterranean Sea. In the Paratethyan records, A. emmae was frequently confused with Aspella teter sp. nov. [erroneously referred to as Aspella anceps ( Lamarck, 1822) ]. They can be distinguished by the much broader profile of A. emmae and by the more prominent spiral sculpture of A. teter .

Paleoenvironment. Unknown.

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Korytnica Basin: Korytnica ( Bałuk 1995); Pannonian Basin: Letkés ( Hungary) ( Kovács et al. 2018); Bakony Mountains: Bánd ( Hungary) ( Kovács 2020); Făget Basin: CoŞteiu de Sus, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania) ( Boettger 1902; Kovács 2019).

Proto-Mediterranean Sea. Tortonian (Late Miocene): Po Basin: Montegibbio ( Italy) ( Montanaro 1935).

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).