Muricopsis emus ( De Gregorio, 1885 )

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 : 27-30

Muricopsis emus ( De Gregorio, 1885)

Figs 14 , 15A–C

M [urex]. cristatus Br. —Pusch 1836: 519 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Murex cristatus Brocchi —Pusch 1837: 138 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Murex cristatus Brocc. —Hörnes 1853: 243, pl. 25, fig. 6 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Murex cristatus —Quenstedt 1884: 649, pl. 211, fig. 20 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. * [ Murex cristatus Brocc. ] var. emus De Greg. — De Gregorio 1885: 256 [pro Murex cristatus in Hörnes 1853: 243, pl. 25, fig. 6]. Murex (Phyllonotus) cristatus Brocc. —Hoernes & Auinger 1885: 210 (pars) [non pl. 26, figs. 1–3 = Muricopsis hystrix sp.

nov.]. Muricopsis cristatus Brocc. — Friedberg 1912: 173, pl. 11, figs. 6–7 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Murex cristatus (Br.) var. Blainvillei Payr. — Montanaro 1935: 29, pl. 2, fig. 12 [non Murex blainvillii Payraudeau, 1826 , =

Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi 1814) ]. Muricopsis cristatus Brocc. — Friedberg 1938: 117 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis cristatus Brocc. — Korobkov 1955: plate captions, pl. 70, figs. 9a–b [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. M [uricopsis]. cristata (Brocchi) — Sieber 1958: 146 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis cristata Brocc. — Kókay 1966: pl. 7, fig. 20 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricidea cristata Brocchi, 1814 — Strausz 1966: 270, text-fig. 124 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis (Muricopsis) cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) — Stojaspal 1978: 337, pl. 5, fig. 1 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi,

1814)]. Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) — Bałuk 1995: 218, pl. 23, figs. 8–9 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis cristata (Brocchi) —Schultz 1998: 66, pl. 26, fig. 8 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis (s.s.) dujardini Peyrot, 1938 — Kovács et al. 2018: 118, figs. 5G–H [non Muricopsis dujardini Peyrot, 1938 ]. Muricopsis cf. cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) — Merle et al. 2022: 174, pl. 3, fig. 8 [non Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) ]. Muricopsis emus (De Gregorio) — Kovács & Vicián 2024: 7, figs. 14–17.

Type material. Holotype: NHMW 1846/0037/0220, SL: 31.6 mm, MD: 15.2 mm, Enzesfeld ( Austria), illustrated in Hörnes (1853: pl. 25, fig. 6), figs. 15A 1 –A 2.

Illustrated material. NHMW 2024/0154/0001, SL: 27.7 mm, MD: 14.1 mm, Gainfarn ( Austria), figs. 15B 1 – B 2. NHMW 2024/0154/0002, SL: 27.0 mm, MD: 14.1 mm, Gainfarn ( Austria), figs. 15C 2 –C 2.

Additional material. 2 spec., NHM1863/0015/1272, Grund ( Austria) ; 12 spec., NHMW 1860/0001/0201 (A 1471), Steinebrunn ( Austria) ; 10 spec., NHMW 1867/0019/0095, Forchtenau ( Austria) .

Description. Medium sized, moderately slender fusiform shell with high spire; apical angle ~40–45°. Protoconch unknown. Teleoconch of up to seven whorls. Suture moderately incised, linear. Early teleoconch whorls with narrow, steep subsutural ramp, almost straight-sided periphery. Eight prominent axial ribs separated by interspaces of roughly equal width. From first to third whorl prominent IP, P1 and P2, slightly swollen over ribs. From fourth to penultimate whorls, appearance of granulose adis, abis, s1 and s2 and tertiary threads. Last whorl attaining ~60–65% of total height, ovate with weakly concave to weakly convex subsutural ramp, very weak rounded shoulder, moderately convex periphery, moderately constricted below. Axial sculpture of eight, broad, low varices overrun by prominent spiral sculpture. IP, P1–P5 prominent, relatively narrow; P6 atrophied, ADP prominent, MP, ABP weak; abis, s1–s4 delicate adjoined by one or two tertiary threads on either side. Primary cords weakly tuberculate; terminal varix occasionally with very short spines. Close-set, delicate growth lines giving surface delicately granulose or scabrose appearance. Fasciole strongly swollen, strongly twisted, delimiting broad, shallow pseudoumbilicus. Aperture narrowly ovate. Outer lip with strongly crenulate edge; prominent, slightly pointed ID, atrophied D1, prominent D2, D3–D5 weakening slightly abapically, placed some distance behind peristome. Second row of weaker denticles slightly deeper in aperture. Anal canal broadly incised, U-shaped. Siphonal canal relatively short, open, moderately narrow, slightly bent to the left, weakly recurved at tip. Columella moderately excavated in upper half with broad central columellar fold and one or two slightly weaker folds below; slightly angled at transition to siphonal canal. Columellar callus forming broad, sharply delimited rim, erect at siphonal canal, adherent in parietal area.

Discussion. Muricopsis emus ( De Gregorio, 1885) differs from Muricopsis hystrix sp. nov. in its shallower suture, the higher spire, the much narrower primary cords and the subobsolete spines. Muricopsis dujardini ( Peyrot, 1938) , from the Langhian of the Loire Basin, differs in its lower spire and broader, rounded primary cords (see Merle et al. 2022: pl. 2, figs. 5–9). Muricopsis crassicosta ( Benoist, 1874) , from the Early Miocene of the Aquitaine Basin, differs in its longer siphonal canal, more constricted base and relatively tuberculate primary cords (see Merle et al. 2022: pl. 2, figs. 1–4). Muricopsis landaui Merle in Merle et al. 2022, from the Serravallian of the Karaman Basin, might be a closely related species and is reminiscent of M. emus in its reduced sculpture, however, they differ in the higher last whorl of M. landaui and in its more delicate secondary and tertiary sculpture.

The Pliocene Mediterranean Muricopsis cristata ( Brocchi, 1814) lacks a second row of weaker denticles in the aperture. In addition, Muricopsis emus has a shorter siphonal canal and a broader pseudoumbilicus.

Paleoenvironment. Coastal marine, inner neritic; the frequent occurrence at Gainfarn suggests a preference for seagrass environments ( Zuschin et al. 2007).

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Polish-Ukrainian Fore-Carpathian Basin: Dryszczów, Hołdy, Jasionów, Zborów (Zboriv) ( Ukraine) ( Friedberg 1912); Korytnica Basin: Korytnica ( Bałuk 1995); North Alpine-Carpathian Foreland Basin: Grund ( Austria) (Hoernes & Auinger 1885); Vienna Basin: Gainfarn, Enzesfeld, Pfaffstätten, Steinebrunn, Vienna /Pötzleinsdorf ( Austria), Mikulov ( Czech Republic) (Hoernes & Auinger 1885); Pannonian Basin: Bánd, Letkés ( Hungary) ( Kovács 2020, Kovács & Vicián 2024); Mecsek Mountains: Hidas ( Hungary) ( Strausz 1966).

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

Figures

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

FIGURE 15. Muricopsis emus (De Gregorio, 1885). A1–A3. holotype, NHMW 1846/0037/0220, Enzesfeld (Austria). B1–B3. NHMW 2024/0154/0001, Gainfarn (Austria). C1–C2. NHMW 2024/0154/0002, Gainfarn (Austria).