Ceratostoma, Herrmannsen, 1846

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 : 37

Ceratostoma ? steiningeri sp. nov.

Figs 14A

1

–A

3

Murex (Trophon) Deshayesii Nyst var. capito Phil. — Schaffer 1912: 143, pl. 50, figs 16–17 [non Crassimurex (Eopaziella) capito ( Philippi, 1844) ].

Trophonopsis (Pagodula) capito (Philippi, 1843) — Steininger et al. 1971: 398, pl. 9, fig. 9 [non Crassimurex (Eopaziella) capito ( Philippi, 1844) ].

Holotype. NHMW 1851/0002/0019, SL: 49.0 mm, MD: 31.9 mm, Gauderndorf ( Austria), illustrated in Schaffer (1912: pl. 51, figs 16–17) and Steininger (1971: pl. 9, fig. 9), Figs 14A 1 –A 3 .

Type locality. Gauderndorf ( Austria), North Alpine Foreland Basin.

Type stratum. Silty sand of the Gauderndorf Formation.

Age. Early Miocene, Eggenburgian (early Burdigalian).

Etymology. In honor of Fritz. F. Steininger, an important Austrian paleontologist and mentor of the first author, in recognition of his contributions to Paratethyan stratigraphy and paleontology.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized, robust, pyriform shell with strongly convex periphery and reduced sculpture; broad, swollen varices with broad, low intervarical swellings; spiral sculpture of broad, rounded IP, P1 and P2 separated by broad interspaces on penultimate whorl and broad, band-like IP, P1–P6 on last whorl; outer lip foliaceous.

Description. Medium-sized, robust, pyriform shell; apical angle 78°. Protoconch unknown. Teleoconch of at least four whorls. Suture distinctly incised, linear. Early teleoconch whorls moderately convex with weak angulation close above suture. Spiral sculpture of broad, rounded IP, P1 and P2 separated by broad interspaces on penultimate whorl. About nine narrow, lamellar axial ribs. Last whorl with broad, moderately convex subsutural ramp, strongly convex periphery, strongly constricted below. Sculpture on last whorls reduced with very broad, band-like IP, P1–P6 (poorly preserved). Secondary cord, only s2. Broad, swollen varices with broad, low intervarical swellings on last whorl. Fasciole moderately swollen. Aperture wide, ovate; outer lip partially broken thickened, foliaceous. Anal canal poorly preserved. Siphonal canal long, slightly bent to the left. Columella broadly excavated, smooth. Columellar callus not preserved.

Discussion. The placement in Ceratostoma is tentative and is based on the similarity with extant species, such as Ceratostoma rorifluum (Reeve, 1849) and Ceratostoma nuttalli ( Conrad, 1837) , which lack flaring varices and have comparatively weaker sculpture. However, Recent Ceratostoma species develop a labral spine, which is not seen in Ceratostoma ? steiningeri sp. nov.; but it is possible that this specimen is not fully developed.

The only available specimen was confused by Schaffer (1912) and Steininger (1971) with Crassimurex (Eopaziella) capito ( Philippi, 1844) , from the Eocene and Oligocene of the North Sea [these authors referred also to another specimen of this subgenus, from Loibersdorf ( Austria), which is described herein as Crassimurex (Eopaziella) algortis ( De Gregorio, 1885b) ]. However, Ceratostoma ? steiningeri sp. nov. has little in common with Crassimurex .

Paleoenvironment. Occurrences in the Eggenburgian Gauderndorf Formation suggest shallow marine, inner neritic environments with sandy bottoms (own data, M.H.).

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Eggenburgian (Early Miocene): North Alpine Foreland Basin: Gauderndorf ( Austria) ( Steininger et al. 1971).

Genus Gracilipurpura Jousseaume, 1880

Type species. Hadriania craticulata Bucquoy & Dautzenberg, 1882 ; original designation by Jousseaume (1880: 335). Present-day, Mediterranean Sea.

Discussion. See Fassio et al. (2022: 633) for a discussion on the nomenclatorial history of the genus.

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 14. Ceratostoma? steiningeri sp. nov. A1–A3. holotype, NHMW 1851/0002/0019, Gauderndorf (Austria).