Bittium tani, Harzhauser & Guzhov & Landau, 2025

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 : 41-43

Bittium tani sp. nov.

Figs 19A–D

Cerithium scabrum Olivi— Hörnes 1855: 410 (pars), pl. 42, fig. 16 [non Bittium scabrum (Olivi, 1792) ; non fig. 17 = Bittium praescabrum sp. nov.].

Cerithium scabrum —Quenstedt 1884: 505, pl. 204, fig. 113 [non Bittium scabrum (Olivi, 1792) ].

Bittium reticulatum da Costa — Friedberg 1914: 302, pl. 18, fig. 10 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778); non fig. 11 = Bittium krenni sp. nov.].

Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum (da Costa)— Sieber 1937: 489, pl. 25, figs A1, A3 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium reticulatum Costa, 1779— Strausz 1955: 76, 201, pl. 9, figs 154–157, 159–160, 174 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium reticulatum Costa — Strausz 1962: 35, pl. 6, figs 19, 21 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium reticulatum Costa, 1779— Strausz 1966: 140, pl. 6, figs 19, 21 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)]. Bittium reticulatum Costa, 1778 — Zelinskaya et al. 1968: 163, pl. 40, fig. 5 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium (Bittium) deforme Eichwald— Atanacković 1969: 197 , pl. 8, figs 21–22 [non Bittium deforme ( Eichwald, 1829) ]

? Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum (da Costa)— Atanacković 1969: 197, pl. 8, figs 23–24 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Cerithium plicatum Brug.—Rado & Muţui 1970: 145 , pl. 5, figs 1–2 [non Granulolabium plicatum (Bruguière, 1792) ].

Bittium reticulatum (Costa)— Bohn-Havas 1973: 1046, pl. 4, fig. 6 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium reticulatum (Da Costa)— Lubenescu 1973: 123, pl. 1, fig. 7.

Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum (da Costa, 1779)— Bałuk 1975: 140, pl. 16, figs 10–15 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium reticulatum ( Costa, 1778)— Švagrovský 1981: 136, pl. 41, figs 1–5 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum (da Costa, 1977 [sic])— Atanacković 1985: 104, pl. 24, figs 20–21 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum (Da Costa, 1779)— Popa & Ianoliu 2000: 85, pl. 3, fig. 1 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

Bittium reticulatum (Da Costa, 1779)—Harzhauser 2002: 72, pl. 2, fig. 9 [non Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778)].

non Bittium reticulatum Da Costa — Csepreghy-Meznerics 1954: 21, pl. 3, fig. 8 [non Bittium ]. non Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum (da Costa)— Švagrovský 1954: 28, pl. 5, figs 7, 10–15 [= Potamididae ]. non Bittium reticulatum Costa — Strausz 1954: 58, 97, pl. 2, fig. 28 [? = Potamididae ]. non Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum da Costa — Švagrovský 1960: 83, pl. 8, fig. 12 [= Cerithiinae ]. non Bittium reticulatum da Costa — Csepreghy-Meznerics 1972: 21, pl. 3, fig. 21 [= Bittium grinzingense sp. nov.]. non Bittium reticulatum Costa, 1779— Nicorici 1974: 107, pl. 3, figs 22–23 [= Cerithiopsidae ]. non Bittium reticulatum (Costa)— Iljina et al. 1976: 88, pl. 25, figs 11–18 [= Bittium bosphoranum ( Andrussow, 1890) ]. non Bittium reticulatum (Costa)— Badzoshvili 1979: 83, pl. 19, figs 9–14, pl. 20, fig. 1 [= Bittium bosphoranum ( Andrussow,

1890)]. non Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum ( Costa, 1778)— Iljina 1993: 67, pl. 8, figs 6–9 [figs 6–7 = Bittium tschokrakense Özsayar,

1977; figs 8–9 = Bittium konkense Sokolov, 1899 ]. non Bittium (Bittium) reticulatum (da Costa, 1779)— Turek & Hladilová 2019: 62, fig. 4/1 [= Bittium krenni sp. nov.]. non Bittium reticulatum (Costa, 1779)— Švagrovský 1982: 20, pl. 8, fig. 1 [= Bittium grinzingense sp. nov.].

Type material. Holotype: NHMW 1846 /0037/0361, SL: 11.1 mm, MD: 3.1 mm, Steinebrunn ( Austria), illustrated in Hörnes (18555: pl. 41, figs 16a–b), Figs 19A 1 –A 2 . Paratypes: NHMW 1846 /0037/0362a, SL: 10.5 mm, MD: 3.0 mm, Steinebrunn ( Austria), Figs 19B 1 –B 2 . NHMW 1846 /0037/0362b, SL: 8.2 mm, MD: 2.6 mm, Steinebrunn ( Austria), Figs 19C 1 –C 2 . NHMW 1846 /0037/0362c, SL: 9.0 mm, MD: 2.8 mm, Steinebrunn ( Austria), Figs 19D . All middle Badenian, Middle Miocene .

Additional material. 10.450 spec., NHMW 1884 /0037/2970, Steinebrunn ( Austria), Vienna Basin .

Type locality. Steinebrunn ( Austria), Vienna Basin .

Type stratum. Silt and sand of the Baden Formation.

Age. Middle Miocene, middle Badenian (Langhian).

Etymology. Referring to the monogram T.A.N. of Thomas Alan Neubauer (Bavarian State Collection for Paleontology and Geology, Munich), in recognition of his contributions to Tertiary freshwater malacology.

Diagnosis. Medium sized, slender conical shell, teleoconch whorls subcylindrical with four spiral cords bearing prominent, close-set beads. Fourth spiral cord intercalated between adapical and mid-whorl cord around eighth teleoconch whorl, giving cords crowded appearance.

Description. Medium sized, slender conical shell of up to 12 teleoconch whorls, with faintly cyrtoconoid early spire, attaining ~ 8–11 mm in height; apical angle 25–27°. Protoconch unknown. Early teleoconch whorls with narrow subsutural ramp and two prominent spiral cords. Axial ribs most prominent over subsutural ramp, forming weak tubercles at intersections with spiral cords. Second to fourth whorls convex; third beaded spiral cord develops on subsutural ramp. Sculpture of close-set spiral cords forming rounded tubercles at intersections. Tubercles aligned axially obliquely, without forming axial ribs. Later teleoconch whorls straight sided, subcylindrical. Fourth spiral cord squeezed in between adapical and mid-whorl cord around eighth whorl, strengthening abapically to become equal to other cords. Abapically tubercles more close-set giving cords beaded appearance. Weaker spiral cord at abapical suture on last two whorls. Suture narrow, deeply incised. Occasional weak varices on spire whorls and prominent varix on last whorl. Last whorl strongly constricted, attaining 33–35% of total height. Base with two prominent peribasal spiral cords, upper one faintly beaded, and three cords over fasciole.Aperture moderately wide, ovate. Columella excavated. Columellar callus forming thin, moderately broad rim. Anal canal indistinct. Outer lip thin. Siphonal canal moderately wide, short, slightly deflected to the left.

Discussion. Bittium tani sp. nov. is characterized by its slender outline, subcylindrical whorls and the fourth spiral cord, which is squeezed in between the adapical and mid-whorl spiral cords around the eighth and tenth teleoconch whorls. This species was frequently confused in the literature with the extant Mediterranean Bittium reticulatum ( da Costa, 1778). The Paratethyan species, however, differs distinctly from B. reticulatum by its more close-set beads, the characteristic narrow fourth spiral cord, and the subcylindrical whorls. Moreover, the beads of B. tani are not axially arranged as in B. reticulatum , but oblique, and its base is more constricted. Several authors mixed B. tani with Bittium krenni sp. nov., but they are clearly distinguished by the more convex whorls of B. krenni . In addition, B. krenni develops the fourth spiral cord at an earlier stage of growth and a fifth cord on the last whorls. Bittium deforme ( Eichwald, 1829) , from the late Badenian of the Ukrainian-Polish Fore Carpathian Basin, is very similar in outline and size, but differs in its strong varices, deeper suture and the presence of three tubercular primary spiral cords, the tubercles far more widely spaced than beads in B. tani . Bittium digitatum ( Zhizhchenko, 1934) , from the Chokrakian of Crimea, is more conical, less slender and the two spiral cords of beads on the subsutural ramp develop nearly synchronously.

‘ Bittium reticulatum ’ was described from the Maeotian (Late Miocene) of Georgia and Crimea by Iljina et al. (1976) and Badzoshvili (1979), but these specimens differ from B. reticulatum and B. tani in their convex whorls and marked varices and represent Bittium bosphoranum ( Andrussow, 1890) . The convex whorls and the cancellate sculpture distinguish also the Tarkhanian specimens from Russia described by Iljina (1993) as B. reticulatum from this species and from B. tani .

Paleoenvironment. The species occurs in enormous masses at Steinebrunn, which suggests a preference for inner neritic environments with sea grass meadows (own data M.H.).

Distribution. Widespread in the Central Paratethys from the Karpatian (Early Miocene) to the late Badenian (Middle Miocene). Literature based occurrences without illustrations will need confirmation due to the confusion with other species.

Central Paratethys. Karpatian (Early Miocene): Korneuburg Basin: Stetten ( Austria) (Harzhauser 2002); Badenian (Middle Miocene): Polish-Ukrainian Fore-Carpathian Basin: Zboriv (Ternopil Region, Ukraine) ( Friedberg 1914); Korytnica Basin: Korytnica ( Poland) ( Bałuk 1975); Vienna Basin: Baden-Sooss, Gainfarn, Niederleis, Pötzleinsdorf, Steinebrunn, Vienna /Grinzing, Vienna /Nussdorf ( Austria) ( Sieber 1937); Devínska Nova Ves ( Slovakia) ( Švagrovský 1981); Eisenstadt-Sopron Basin: Forchtenau ( Austria) ( Sieber 1937); Pannonian Basin: Várpalota ( Hungary) ( Strausz 1966); Creek Jazovac, Miljevići ( Bosnia and Herzegovina) ( Atanacković 1969); Haţeg Basin: Răchitova ( Romania) ( Popa & Ianoliu 2000). Transylvanian Basin: Sebeş Alba ( Romania) ( Lubenescu 1973). Dacian Basin: Islaz ( Romania) (Rado & Muţui 1970).

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 19. Bittium tani sp. nov. A1–A2. NHMW 1846/0037/0361, holotype, Steinebrunn (Austria). B1–B2. NHMW 1846/0037/0362a, paratype, Steinebrunn (Austria). C1–C2. NHMW 1846/0037/0362b, Steinebrunn (Austria). D. NHMW 1846/0037/0362c, Steinebrunn (Austria). All Middle Miocene, middle Badenian.