Muricopsis hystrix, Harzhauser & Landau & Merle, 2025

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 : 30-32

Muricopsis hystrix sp. nov.

Figs 14 , 16A–D

Murex (Phyllonotus) cristatus Brocc. —Hoernes & Auinger 1885: 210 (pars), pl. 26, figs. 1–3 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi,

1814)]. Murex (Phyllonotus) cristatus Brocc. — Boettger 1902: 31 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis cristatus ( Brocchi 1814) —Kojumdgieva in Kojumdgieva & Strachimirov 1960: 147, pl. 40, figs. 3–4 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis cristata Brocchi — Florei & CriŞan 1967: 208: pl. 3, figs. 6a–b [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) — Kovács et al. 2018: 118, figs. 5E–F [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) — Kovács & Vicián 2024: 7, figs. 6–13, 53–56 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ].

Type material. Holotype: NHMW 1870/0033/0091c, SL: 31.6 mm, MD: 16.5 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), illustrated in Hoernes & Auinger (1885: pl. 26, fig. 3), figs. 16A 1 –A 3 . Paratypes: NHMW 1870/0033/0091b, SL: 37.6 mm, MD: 20.6 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), illustrated in Hoernes & Auinger (1885: pl. 26, fig. 2), figs. 16B 1 –B 3. NHMW 1870/0033/0091e, SL: 30.9 mm, MD: 15.9 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), figs. 16C 1 –C 3. NHMW 1870/0033/0091d, SL: 33.1 mm, MD: 17.8 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), figs. 16D 1 –D 3 .

Additional paratypes. 7 spec., NHMW 1870/0033/0085 (A1470), Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania) .

Type locality. Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), Făget Basin.

Type stratum. Silt and clay of the Dej Formation.

Age. Middle Miocene, early/middle Badenian (Langhian).

Etymology. hystrix, Ancient Greek for porcupine.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized, moderately broad fusiform shell; early teleoconch whorls with regular sculpture of broad varices and three primary cords; later whorls with prominent varices and broad cords, often spinose over varices; siphonal canal relatively short.

Description. Medium-sized, moderately broad fusiform shell; apical angle ~50°. Protoconch unknown. Teleoconch of up to seven whorls. Suture deeply incised, linear. Early teleoconch whorls with narrow subsutural ramp, weakly convex periphery, strongly incised below. Eight prominent wide-spaced axial ribs overrun by prominent IP, P1 and P2, slightly swollen over ribs from first to fourth whorl; on following whorls IP, P1 and P2 forming short spines; with granulose abis, adis, s1 and s2 and tertiary threads. Last whorl attaining ~65–70% of total height; ovate with weakly concave subsutural ramp, insignificant, rounded shoulder, moderately convex periphery, moderately constricted below.Axial sculpture of eight very prominent varices overrun by prominent spiral sculpture. IP prominent, P1–P5 very prominent; P6 atrophied, ADP prominent, MP weak; abis, s1–s5 delicate adjoined by one or two tertiary threads at each side. Primary cords tuberculate or forming short spines at varices and especially on terminal varix. Close-set, delicate growth lines forming delicately granulose or scabrose sculpture on spiral cords. Fasciole swollen, strongly twisted, delimiting broad, shallow pseudoumbilicus. Aperture narrowly ovate. Outer lip with strongly crenulate margin, prominent, slightly pointed ID, atrophied or missing D1, large D2 and abapically weakening D3–D5 placed some distance behind peristome. Second row of weaker denticles slightly deeper within aperture. Anal canal broadly incised, U-shaped. Siphonal canal relatively short, open, moderately narrow, slightly bent to the left, weakly recurved at tip. Columella straight with broad central columellar fold and slightly weaker fold at slightly angled transition to siphonal canal. Columellar callus forming broad, sharply delimited rim, erect at siphonal canal, adherent in parietal area.

Discussion. This species is characterized by its relatively stocky outline and change of sculpture on the penultimate and last whorls, which bear broad spines on the varices. Muricopsis hystrix sp. nov. is reminiscent of Pliocene specimens of Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) as illustrated by Landau et al. (2007: 42, pl. 11, figs. 10–11) and Merle et al. (2022: pl. 4) but differs in its shorter siphonal canal and generally stockier shape. Muricopsis landaui Merle in Merle et al. (2002), from the Serravallian of the Karaman Basin ( Turkey), has a similar outline but differs in its weakly incised suture and the weaker varices, which lack spines ( Merle et al. 2022: pl. 3, fig. 7). Muricopsis emus ( De Gregorio, 1885) is smaller, has a higher spire and much weaker sculpture. Muricopsis hystrix sp. nov. is restricted to southern Paratethyan basins but does not occur in the Vienna Basin and the Carpathian Foreland Basin, where Muricopsis emus is frequent.

Paleoenvironment. Unknown. The occurrence at Letkés ( Hungary) points to inner neritic environments with corals ( Kovács & Vicián 2014). The extant Muricopsis cristata occur from the intertidal down to 120 m, on rocks and dead corals (Houart 2001).

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Pannonian Basin: Bánd, Letkés, Márkháza ( Hungary) ( Kovács et al. 2018); Mecsek Mountains: Mecsekpölöske ( Hungary) ( Kovács 2020; Kovács & Vicián 2024); Banat: Zorlenţul Mare ( Romania) ( Florei & CriŞan 1967); Făget Basin: CoŞteiu de Sus, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania) ( Kovács 2019; hoc opus); Dacian Basin: Târnene, Staropatica ( Bulgaria) (Kojumdgieva in Kojumdgieva & Strachimirov 1960).

Genus Murexsul Iredale, 1915

Type species. Murex octogonus Quoy & Gaimard, 1833 , original designation by Iredale (1915: 471). Present-day, Australia, New Zealand.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Cord diagrams and apertural features of Aspellinae (Muricopsis, Murexsul, Pazinotus).

FIGURE 16. Muricopsis hystrix sp. nov. A1–A3. holotype, NHMW 1870/0033/0091c, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). B1–B3. paratype, NHMW 1870/0033/0091b, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). C1–C3. paratype, NHMW 1870/0033/0091e, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). D1–D3. paratype, NHMW 1870/0033/0091d, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania).