Theodisca cicur, (Zhizhchenko, 1934)

Harzhauser, Mathias, Guzhov, Aleksandr & Landau, Bernard, 2025, A revision of the Cainozoic Cerithiidae and Plesiotrochidae (Mollusca: Caenogastropoda) of the Paratethys Sea (Europe, Asia), Zootaxa 5625 (1), pp. 1-180 : 144

Theodiscella cicur ( Zhizhchenko, 1934)

Figs 70A–C

Theodisca cicur ( Zhizhchenko, 1934) — Harzhauser et al. 2023a: 88 , figs 13A–K [cum. syn.].

Type material. Neotype designated herein, TSNIGR 154 /11330 (former number in Karpinsky Geological Museum: 42167), SL: 10.5 mm, MD: 5.3 mm, illustrated also in Zizhchenko (1936: pl. 21, fig. 5), Cape Tarkhan (Crimea), early Chokrakian , Middle Miocene , Figs 70C 1 –C 2 .

Illustrated material. TSNIGR 152/11330 (42168), SL: 10.7 mm, MD: 4.5 mm, illustrated also in Zhizhchenko (1936: pl. 21, fig. 1), Figs 70A 1 –A 2 . TSNIGR 153/11330 (42169), SL: 9.2 mm, MD: 5.3 mm, illustrated also in Zhizhchenko (1936: pl. 21, fig. 3), Figs 70B 1 –B 2 . Cape Tarkhan (Crimea), early Chokrakian, Middle Miocene.

Discussion. Some problems were recognized by us with the identification of the type material and its locality. The species was initially described by Zhizhchenko (1934, 65, pl. 9, figs 18–19), in which the author provided illustrations of two shells from Bryk Mountain (Stavropol Krai). He listed the rivers Roshnya and Elistanzhi (= Alistanzhi) in Chechnya as localities in the main text. These shells were re-illustrated in Zhizhchenko (1936, pl. 21, figs 2, 4), together with three newly illustrated shells, stated to originate from Cape Tarkhan. Zhizhchenko (1936) proposed specimen number 42167 as holotype giving Bryk Mountain as locality. At that time, the specimens were stored in the Karpinsky Geological Museum of Institute of Geological Science (Leningrad). Today this museum no longer exists, and its collections were transferred to the Chernyshev Central Geological Research Museum (TSNIR) in Saint-Petersburg, where the specimens received new numbers, whilst preserving the original Karpinsky Geological Museum collection numbers. We received photographs of specimens figured in Zhizhchenko (1936, pl. 21, figs 1, 3, 5) from the TSNIGR Museum, including their labels, but the photographs did not match information given by Zhizhchenko (1936). After publication in Harzhauser et al. (2023), A.G. restudied the material in the TSNIGR Museum directly and prepared new photographs of the type material. It is now clear that specimens and labels were mixed up. The ‘holotype’ in Zhizhchenko (1936, pl. 21. fig. 5) was renumbered as TSNIGR 154/11330. The localities given on the labels do not match Zhizhchenko’s papers: for example, label of 152/1130 points to Bryk Mountain, whereas the plate caption states Cape Tarkhan as locality, and the label of 154/11330, states Cape Tarkhan as locality, whereas Bryk Mountain is indicated by Zhizhchenko (1934, p. 202). We can confirm that preservation and morphology of the discussed specimens agree with occurrences from Cape Tarkhan. It is likely all shells illustrated by Zhizhchenko (1936) derive from Cape Tarkhan as they all show the same type of preservation. The specimens illustrated in Zhizhchenko (1934), were probably stored in the Trust Grozneft and were lost during the Chechen wars. Consequently, no syntypes can be reliably identified. The designation of a holotype in Zhizhchenko (1936) is incorrect, as holotypes cannot be designated subsequently. Moreover, this specimen does not belong to the original syntypes of Zhizhchenko (1934). As the type series seems to be lost, we designate a neotype.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Argyropeza spina (Hörnes, 1855). A1–A2. NHMW 1859/0027/0109, paralectotype, Baden-Sooss (Austria). B1– B2. NHMW 2023/0054/0001, paralectotype, Baden-Sooss (Austria). C1–C2. NHMW 2023/0054/0002, paralectotype, Baden- Sooss (Austria). D1–D2. NHMW 1851/0013/0002, lectotype, Baden (Austria). E1–E2. M.68.2104, holotype of Bittium leganyii Csepreghy-Meznerics, 1969, Borsodbóta (Hungary). F. M.68.2105, holotype of Bittium botense Csepreghy-Meznerics, 1969, Borsodbóta (Hungary). G1–G2. NHMW 1859/0027/0109, paralectotype, SL: 8.6 mm, MD: 2.3 mm, Baden-Sooss (Austria). All Middle Miocene, Badenian.

FIGURE 2. A1–A2. Bittium acutum (Ossaulenko, 1936), PIN 5904/2, Bila Krynytsya (Ukraine). B1–B3. Bittium acutum (Ossaulenko, 1936), PIN 5904/4, Bila Krynytsya (Ukraine). C. Bittium acutum (Ossaulenko, 1936), PIN 5904/5, Bila Krynytsya (Ukraine). D. PIN 5904/6, Bila Krynytsya (Ukraine). E. Bittium badzoshviliae sp. nov., PIN 5904/7, Cəngi (Azerbaijan). F. Bittium badzoshviliae sp. nov., PIN 5904/8, Otap River (Abkhazia). G1–G2. Bittium badzoshviliae sp. nov., PIN 5904/9, holotype, Krymsk (Russia). H. Bittium badzoshviliae sp. nov., PIN 5904/10, Otap River (Abkhazia). I. Bittium badzoshviliae sp. nov., PIN 5904/11, Otap River (Abkhazia). All Late Miocene, early Maeotian.Arrows show end of protoconch.

FIGURE 70. A–C. Theodiscella cicur (Zhizhchenko, 1934). A1–A2. TSNIGR 152/11330 (42168), Cape Tarkhan (Crimea), Middle Miocene, early Chokrakian. B1–B2. TSNIGR 153/11330 (42169), Cape Tarkhan (Crimea), Middle Miocene, early Chokrakian. C1–C2. TSNIGR 154/11330 (42167), Cape Tarkhan (Crimea), Middle Miocene, early Chokrakian. D–E. Pustulosia gubkini (Ossipov, 1932). D. TSNIGR 458/302, lectotype, Konka River near Yul’ivka (Ukraine), Middle Miocene, late Konkian. E. TSNIGR 459/302, paralectotype, Konka River near Yul’ivka (Ukraine), Middle Miocene, late Konkian.