Hirtoscala cornucopiae, 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 : 74-76

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-FFAC-FFAF-FF3F-FA07FD7F976D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Hirtoscala cornucopiae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Hirtoscala cornucopiae sp. nov.

Figs 27D View FIGURE 27 1 – E View FIGURE 1 2 View FIGURE 2 , 28B View FIGURE 28

Scala (Clathrus) detracta (De Boury in Cossmann, 1912)— Bałuk 1975: 172, pl. 20, fig. 14 [non Nitidiscala detracta (de Boury in Cossmann, 1912)].

Type material. Holotype, BkK-G340, SL: 4.2 mm, MD: 2.3 mm, Korytnica ( Poland), illustrated in Bałuk (1975: pl. 20, fig. 14), Figs 27E View FIGURE 27 1 –E View FIGURE 1 2 View FIGURE 2 . Paratype; NHMW 2010 View Materials /0004/0525a, SL: 6.5 mm, MD: 3.3 mm, Bad Vöslau ( Austria), Figs 27D View FIGURE 27 1 –D View FIGURE 1 2 View FIGURE 2 , 28B View FIGURE 28 .

Type locality. Korytnica ( Poland), Korytnica Basin .

Type stratum. Pińczów Formation.

Age. Middle Miocene, middle Badenian (Langhian).

Etymology. After cornucopia, Latin for the ‘horn of plenty’.

Diagnosis. Small, moderately broad, strongly coronate shell with turreted protoconch, gradate spire with nearly uncoiled whorls, robust, strongly raised, widely spaced lamellae forming prominent spines at shoulder angulation, smooth axial interspaces.

Description. Shell small, moderately broad (apical angle ~30–33°), gradate coronate. Protoconch turreted of four smooth, weakly convex whorls (diameter 320–350 μm). Teleoconch of up to six smooth whorls, with broad subsutural shelf and convex periphery and very deeply impressed suture. Sculpture of robust, strongly raised, widely spaced, only weakly prosocline lamellae, only partly aligned axially (10: 9: 8). Crests of lamellae weakly rolled over, adapical tips forming prominent, pointed spines along shoulder. Interspaces between lamellae smooth, glossy. Last whorl attaining 45% of total height with broad subsutural shelf, lamellae persisting 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, 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. Hirtoscala reflexa ( Carpenter, 1856) , from the eastern Pacific, is exceptionally similar but has fewer lamellae with more rolled over crests and longer spines, which may form tube-like tips (see Palmer 1963: 331, pl. 63, figs 5–6). Hirtoscala mitraeformis (G.B. Sowerby II, 1844) , also from the modern eastern Pacific fauna, is also highly reminiscent of Hirtoscala cornucopiae sp. nov. but has more numerous teleoconch whorls and its lamellae are less rolled over (see Weil et al. 1999: fig. 467). Hirtoscala muricatocristata ( Sacco, 1891) , from the Pliocene of Italy, is slenderer and has much weaker shoulder spines ( Sacco 1891: pl. 1, fig. 35). Hirtoscala cornucopiae sp. nov. was confused by Bałuk (1975) with Nitidiscala detracta (De Boury in Cossmann, 1912), which differs in its more sharply axially aligned lamellae, the much weaker spines and the less incised suture.

Paleoenvironment. Occurrences in the Baden Formation of the Vienna Basin suggest middle to outer neritic settings in up to 250 m water depth ( Kranner et al. 2021).

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Korytnica Basin: Korytnica ( Poland) ( Bałuk 1975); Vienna Basin: Baden ( Austria) (hoc opus).