Cerithiopsis cf. tubercularis (Montagu, 1803)

Plate 2 J 1 -J 2

cf.* Murex tubercularis Montagu 1803: 260 .

Santa Maria material examined. Maximum height 3.0 mm, width 1.2 mm. DBUA-F 1023-1 (1), Ponta do Castelo, Santa Maria Island, Azores, Touril Complex, Lower Pliocene.

Description. Last five teleoconch whorls preserved. Late teleoconch whorl almost straight sided, bearing orthocline to slightly prosocline axial ribs, 14 on penultimate whorl, overrun by three spiral cords with prominent rounded tubercles developed at sculptural intersection. Last whorl with two peribasal cords plus one further cord over base. Aperture and siphonal fasciole incomplete.

Discussion. The single fragment missing the apical whorls could well represent Cerithiopsis tubercularis Montagu, 1803, but in the absence of protoconch definitive assignment cannot be made.

Distribution. Lower Pliocene: Atlantic, Santa Maria Island, Azores (this paper).