Hirtoscala holcovae, Harzhauser & Landau, 2025

Harzhauser, Mathias & Landau, Bernard M., 2025, The Epitoniidae (Gastropoda, Epitonioidea) of the Miocene Central Paratethys Sea-an overwhelming diversity, Zootaxa 5630 (1), pp. 1-142 : 79

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5630.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:89462472-D932-4255-880F-C6EF15220A31
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D787A4-FFAB-FFAA-FF3F-FF2EFB87903D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Hirtoscala holcovae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Hirtoscala holcovae sp. nov.

Figs 27C View FIGURE 27 1 –C View FIGURE 1 2 View FIGURE 2 , 28D View FIGURE 28

Scala (Hirtoscala) frondicula spinosa Bon.— Strausz 1954: 19 View in CoL , pl. 1, fig. 9 [non Hirtoscala spinosa ( Sacco, 1891) ].

Type material. Holotype, NHMW 1851 View Materials /0002/0007, SL: 5.8 mm, MD: 2.9 mm, Grund ( Austria), Figs 27C View FIGURE 27 1 –C View FIGURE 1 2 View FIGURE 2 , 28D View FIGURE 28 .

Type locality. Grund ( Austria), North Alpine-Carpathian Foreland Basin .

Type stratum. Grund Formation.

Age. Middle Miocene, early Badenian (Langhian).

Etymology. In honor of Katarína Holcová (Charles University, Prague), in recognition of her contributions on Paratethyan oceanography.

Diagnosis. Small, moderately broad, weakly coronate shell with subcylindrical whorls, gradate spire with deeply impressed suture, robust, strongly raised, moderately widely spaced lamellae occasionally forming low spines at shoulder angulation, smooth axial interspaces.

Description. Shell small, moderately broad (apical angle ~28°), gradate, weakly coronate. Protoconch unknown. Teleoconch of at least six whorls, with moderately broad subsutural shelf and weakly convex to subcylindrical periphery. Suture deeply impressed. Sculpture of robust, strongly raised, moderately widely spaced, weakly prosocline lamellae, aligned axially (9: 10: 11). Crests of lamellae weakly rolled over, adapical tips occasionally forming low, vaguely trigonal spines along shoulder. Other lamellae with slightly flaring convex margins along shoulder. Interspaces between lamellae smooth, glossy. Last whorl subcylindrical, attaining about 45% of total height, lamellae very prominent over base, becoming strongly rolled over, no peribasal cord nor basal angulation. Base slightly convex. Aperture subcircular, columella weakly concave. Short, broad fasciole with distinct growth lines. Outer lip thickened by prominent varix with small shoulder spine, basal lip broad. Columellar callus forming broad rim, detached from base, parietal callus delicate. Peristome duplex but inner lip covering most of peristome. No umbilicus.

Discussion. The extant Mediterranean Hirtoscala muricata ( Risso, 1826) [= H. cantrainei ( Weinkauff, 1866) ] might be closely related but is distinguished by its wider apical angle, more numerous and rather orthocline varices and the wider base ( Weil et al. 1999: fig. 98; Chirli 2009: pl. 12, figs 10–17). Hirtoscala spinosa ( Sacco, 1891) , from the Tortonian of S. Agata ( Italy), has a much narrower subsutural shelf and more numerous, less prosocline lamellae (see Sacco 1891: pl. 1, fig. 38). Hirtoscala perlongata ( Sacco, 1891) , from the Pliocene of Italy, differs in its wider subsutural ramp and more numerous varices (see Ferrero-Mortara et al. 1984: pl. 4, fig. 14). Hirtoscala cornucopiae sp. nov. is comparable in size and general outline but differs in the wider subsutural shelf, more prominent spines and fewer varices. Parviscala lacinia sp. nov. is also reminiscent of this species but differs in the presence of spiral sculpture.

Paleoenvironment. At the locality Grund channels formed in middle to outer neritic environments and were filled with allochthonous assemblages uniting coastal-mudflat faunas with inner neritic ones (Zuschin et al. 2005; Roetzel 2009). The preservation suggests that the species was part of assemblages from middle to outer neritic environments.

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): North-Alpine Carpathian Foreland Basin: Grund ( Austria (hoc opus); Pannonian Basin: Várpalota ( Hungary) ( Strausz 1954).