Pseudomelaniidae R. Hoernes, 1884

Ferrari, S. Mariel, 2013, New Early Jurassic gastropods from west-central Patagonia, Argentina, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 58 (3), pp. 579-593 : 582

Family Pseudomelaniidae R. Hoernes, 1884 Genus Pseudomelania Pictet and Campiche, 1862 Type species: Pseudomelania gresslyi Pictet and Campiche, 1862 , by subsequent designation of Wenz (1938); from the Neocomian, Lower Cretaceous of Switzerland.

Remarks.—Turriculate gastropods with a poorly developed ornament are commonly assigned to the problematic genus Pseudomelania . The type species of the genus, Pseudomelania gresslyi Pictet and Campiche, 1862 , is very poorly known with no information on its protoconch. Since the original description of the genus was based on similar but independently derived species, Gründel (2001) suggested that Pseudomelania may probably be a polyphyletic unit. Kaim (2004) considered that Pseudomelania groups shells of simple morphology, and that it is impossible to say whether they represent many different species or a few species with a large variability in shell shape. He pointed out that protoconchs of the known species frequently included in this genus are unknown, and that they may belong to other groups of gastropods, such as eulimids or zygopleurids. In the present paper, the classification of Kaim (2004) is followed, and according to the diagnosis given by that author, the specimens here described are assigned to Pseudomelania .

Stratigraphic and geographic range.—Triassic–Cretaceous (Kaim 2004); Europe, Asia, Africa, Madagascar, New Zealand, Antarctica, and America.