Timbellus kovacsi, Harzhauser & Landau & Merle, 2025

Harzhauser, Mathias, Landau, Bernard M. & Merle, Didier, 2025, The Muricidae (Gastropoda, Muricoidea) of the Miocene Central Paratethys Sea (Haustrinae, Muricinae, Ocenebrinae, Pagodulinae, Typhinae, Muricidae incertae sedis), Zootaxa 5572 (1), pp. 1-162 : 133-134

Timbellus kovacsi sp. nov.

Figs 64 , 66A–C

Murex (Pteronotus) trinodosus Bell. —Hoernes & Auinger 1885: 202, pl. 29, fig. 6 [non Timbellus trinodosus ( Bellardi, 1873) ].

Murex (Pteronotus) trinodosus Bell. — Boettger 1906: 41 [non Timbellus trinodosus ( Bellardi, 1873) ].

P [terynotus]. (P [terynotus].) trinodosus (Bild.) — Sieber 1958: 145 [non Timbellus trinodosus ( Bellardi, 1873) ].

Pterynotus trinodosus (Bellardi, 1872 [sic]) — Stojaspal 1978: 334 [non Timbellus trinodosus ( Bellardi, 1873) ].

Timbellus swainsoni [sic] ( Michelotti, 1841)— Kovács 2019: 115, figs 9–10 [non Timbellus swainsonii ( Michelotti, 1841) ].

Type material. Holotype: NHMW 1864 /0001/0247a, SL: 34.7 mm, MD: 16.9 mm, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou ( Czech Republic), illustrated in Hoernes & Auinger (1885: pl. 29, figs 6a–b), Figs 66A 1 –A 3 . Paratypes: NHMW 1864 /0001/0347b, SL: 30.3 mm, MD: 14.5 mm, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou ( Czech Republic), Figs 66B 1 –B 3 . NHMW 1864 /0001/0247c, SL: 27.0 mm, MD: 12.4 mm, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou ( Czech Republic), Figs 66C 1 –C 3 .

Type locality. Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou ( Czech Republic) .

Type stratum. Unknown.

Age. Middle Miocene, middle Badenian (Langhian).

Etymology. In honor of Zoltán Kovács (Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Budapest), in recognition for his contributions on Paratethyan paleontology.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized, delicate, stocky fusiform, trivaricate shell with protoconch of 1.5 whorls, wing-like varices rounded at shoulder without forming spines, with three very weak intervarical ribs, subobsolete spiral sculpture and moderately long siphonal canal.

Description. Medium-sized, delicate, relatively stout fusiform, trivaricate shell; apical angle ~46°. Protoconch high conical of 1.5 whorls with elevated nucleus. Teleoconch of up to seven whorls. Suture moderately incised, linear. Early teleoconch whorls weakly convex, faintly shouldered. Three winged varices starting on third teleoconch whorl and three very weak, narrow intervarical ribs. Varices distinctly prosocyrt in apical view. Subobsolete P1 cord on antepenultimate and penultimate whorl. Varices aligned along shell axis in a curved line in apical view, offset by about 7° between whorls. Last whorl attaining ~70% of total height, moderately convex, moderately constricted. Spiral sculpture subobsolete; P1–P5 very weak; P6, ADP, MP, s1, s2 and ads just discernible over wing. Fasciole indistinct. Aperture narrowly ovate; outer lip thickened with everted edge, D1–D5 weakening abapically, D2, D4–D5 occasionally bifid; siphonal canal moderately long, narrow, open, straight. Columella straight, smooth. Columellar callus forming broad rim, sharply delimited, weakly erect at siphonal canal, adherent in parietal area.

Discussion. This species was identified as Murex trinodosus Bellardi, 1873 by Hoernes & Auinger (1885), which is superficially similar in having winged varices. However, Timbellus trinodosus ( Bellardi, 1873) differs in its much longer siphonal canal, smoother outer lip, more prominent primary cords on the wings and on the intervarical interspaces. Moreover, it has much stronger intervarical ribs. Timbellus latifolius ( Bellardi, 1873) , from the Burdigalian (Early Miocene) of Baldissero ( Italy) and the Badenian of the Central Paratethys, might be a closely related species, which also develops a groove on the terminal varix at the position of P1. Timbellus kovacsi sp. nov. differs from Timbellus latifolius in its shorter protoconch (1.5 vs. 2.5 whorls), lower spire, less constricted last whorl, more prominent denticles in the outer lip, shorter siphonal canal and P1 rounded at the shoulder and not spinous.

Timbellus swainsonii ( Michelotti, 1841) differs in its longer siphonal canal and the presence of only one intervarical rib. Timbellus espitus (De Gregorio, 1885a) differs in its protoconch, which has 2.5 whorls, the groove on the terminal varix at the position of P1 and in the higher spire. Timbellus weinmannae sp. nov. differs in its much larger size, higher spire and much longer siphonal canal.

Paleoenvironment. Unknown; probably middle to outer neritic environments.

Distribution in Central Paratethys. North Alpine-Carpathian Foreland Basin: Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou ( Czech Republic) (Hoernes & Auinger 1885); Făget Basin: Coşteiu de Sus, Nemeşeşti ( Romania) ( Boettger 1906).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cord diagrams and apertural features for Haustrinae [Haustrum? pyrulatum (Hoernes & Auinger, 1882)] and Muricinae [Bolinus gapus (De Gregorio, 1885a), Bolinus partschi (Hörnes, 1853), Chicoreus (Triplex) aquitanicus (Grateloup, 1833), Chicoreus (Triplex) hirmetzli (Kovács, 2018), Chicoreus (Triplex) notatus (Eichwald, 1830). Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis) trunculoides (Pusch, 1837), Hexaplex (Trunculariopsis) esplus (De Gregorio, 1885a), Hexaplex(Trunculariopsis) subasperrimus (d’Orbigny, 1852), Promurex spinicosta (Bronn, 1831), Exquisitor graniferus (Michelotti, 1841)].

FIGURE 3. Bolinus gapus (De Gregorio, 1885a). A1–A3. NHMW 1847/0046/0030, Szob (Hungary). B1–B3. paralectotype, NHMW 1860/0015/1270, Grund (Austria). C1–C3. NHMW1869/0001/0280, Grund (Austria). D1–D3. lectotype, NHMW 1856/0050/0122, Gainfarn (Austria).

FIGURE 64. Cord diagrams and apertural features of Muricidae incertae sedis [Timbellus latifolius (Bellardi, 1873), Timbellus kovacsi sp. nov., Timbellus perlongus (Bellardi, 1873), Timbellus trinodosus (Bellardi, 1873), Timbellus weinmannae sp. nov., Purpurellus cyclopterus (Millet, 1865), Phyllocoma sp., Vitularia linguabovis (de Basterot, 1825)].

FIGURE 66. Timbellus kovacsi sp. nov. A1–A3. holotype, NHMW 1864/0001/0247a, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou (Czech Republic). B 1 –B 3. paratype, NHMW 1864/0001/0347b, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou (Czech Republic). C1–C3. paratype, NHMW 1864/0001/0247c, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou (Czech Republic).