Nipteraxis exmoniliferus (Sacco, 1892)

Harzhauser, Mathias & Landau, Bernard, 2023, The Architectonicidae and Mathildidae (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia) of the Miocene Paratethys Sea-victims of the Miocene Climatic Transition, Zootaxa 5370 (1), pp. 1-74 : 34-35

Nipteraxis exmoniliferus (Sacco, 1892)

Figs 4F , 17A–D

Solarium moniliferum Bronn — Ĥrnes 1848: 22 [non Niperaxis moniliferus ( Bronn, 1831) ].

Solarium moniliferum Bronn —Ĥrnes 1856: 466, pl. 46, figs 5a–c [non Niperaxis moniliferus ( Bronn, 1831) ].

* [ Solarium (Solarium) carocollatum] var. exmonilifera Sacc. —Sacco 1892: 43.

Solarium (Architectonica) moniliferum Bronn —Boettger 1907: 135 [non Niperaxis moniliferus ( Bronn, 1831) ].

Solarium millegranum Lam. (?)— Friedberg 1923: 414, pl. 25, fig. 6 [non Granosolarium millegranum ( Lamarck, 1822) ].

Architectonica (Solariaxis) millegranum Lamk. — Korobkov 1955: plate captions, pl. 13, figs 19a–c. [non Granosolarium millegranum ( Lamarck, 1822) ].

? Architectonica monilifera (Bronn) — Csepreghy-Meznerics 1956: 386, pl. 1, figs 29–30.

Architectonica (A [rchitectonica].) monilifera (Bronn) —Sieber 1958: 139 [non Niperaxis moniliferus ( Bronn, 1831) ].

? Solarium moniliferum Bronn, 1831 —Strausz 1966: 118, pl. 51, figs 8–10.

Solarium moniliferum Bronn — Csepreghy-Meznerics 1969b: 20, pl. 2, figs 12, 17, 21, 27 [non Niperaxis moniliferus ( Bronn, 1831)].

Architectonica (Solariaxis) kostejanum (Boettger, 1906) — Atanacković 1985: 98, pl. 23, figs 14–17 [non Solatisonax kostejana (Boettger, 1907)].

exmonilifera (Solarium) Sacco, 1892 — Bieler & Petit 2005: 37.

non Architectonica (Architectonica) monilifera ( Bronn, 1831) — Atanacković 1985: 96, pl. 23, figs 1–3 [= Heliacus ].

Type material. Holotype: NHMW 1851 /0013/0085, SL: 5.8 mm, MD: 9.2 mm, Steinebrunn ( Austria), illustrated by Ĥrnes (1856: pl. 46, fig. 5), Figs 17A 1 –A 2 .

Illustrated material. NHMW 2007 z0078/0016a, SL: 6.3 mm, MD: 11.5 mm, Baden ( Austria), Figs 17B 1 –B 3 . NHMW 2007 z0078/0016b, SL: 7.5 mm, MD: 12.5 mm, Baden ( Austria), Figs 17C 1 –C 3 . NHMW 1864 /0001/0589, SL: 6.1 mm, MD: 9.3 mm, Steinebrunn ( Austria), Figs 17D 1 –D 3 . NHMW 1907 /0323/1959, M̂llersdorf ( Austria), Fig. 4F .

Additional material. 4 spec., NHMW 2012 /0213/0032, Pfaffstätten ( Austria) ; 1 spec., NHMW 2023 /0265/0001, M̂llersdorf ( Austria) ; 3 spec., NHMW 2023 /0268/0001, Baden ( Austria) ; 3 spec., NHMW 2023 /0300/0082, Baden-Sooss ( Austria) ; 2 spec., NHMW 2013 /0300/0081, Baden-Sooss ( Austria) ; 3 spec., NHMW 2022 /0205/0009, Vienna / Grinzing ( Austria) ; 3 spec., NHMW 1858 /0015/0190, Vienna / Pötzleinsdorf ( Austria) .

Description. Small to medium-sized solid shell with relatively high, cyrtoconoid spire, periphery with blunt keel. Protoconch heterostrophic, medium-sized of 1.2 visible whorls (diameter 1.05 mm). Transition to teleoconch marked by protoconch lip. Teleoconch of about 3.75 whorls. First teleoconch whorl flat with two prominent peripheral cords and dense axial ribs. Later whorls weakly convex. Sculpture of moderately prominent beaded SSC, three slightly weaker, beaded MCs and prominent, beaded UPC and LPC. Beads and spiral cords densely spaced. Periphery formed by prominent, convex LPC. Base faintly concave below keel; convex below. Densely beaded lower peripheral spiral cord and weaker IPC on base with weak, beaded spiral cord intercalated between UPC and LPC. Six spiral cords on basal field widening towards umbilicus. Innermost two cords (including PUC) forming relatively broad bands with axially elongated beads. UC coarse, prominent, overhanging umbilicus, delimited from PUC by narrow, moderately deep groove. Umbilicus narrowly funnel-shaped, wide (~26% of total diameter). Umbilical wall with distinct, prosocline growth lines and narrow central spiral cord. Aperture subcircular with narrow CG. PG absent.

Discussion. Ĥrnes (1856) and subsequent authors identified this species as Nipteraxis monilifer ( Bronn, 1831) , known from the Middle Miocene to Pliocene (Proto-)Mediterranean Sea, but also occurring in the Central Paratethys Sea (hoc opus). However, N. monilifer differs quite distinctly from N. exmoniliferus by its finely granulose spiral sculpture on the dorsal side, the more prominent keel, the well-defined LPC on the base, the relatively equal width of the spiral cords on the base, the deeper groove delimiting the UC and slightly wider umbilicus (see Ferrero Mortara et al. 1984; pl. 14, figs 5a–c). Nipteraxis exmoniliferus is reminiscent of Solatectonica kostejana (Boettger, 1907) , with which it was mixed in the NHMW collections. Both species are distinguished by the broad spiral cords of axial ribs on the basal field of S. kostejana and the more elevated spire of N. exmoniliferus . The Pliocene to Recent Mediterraean Solatisonax contexta (Seguenza, 1876) is a morphologically similar. It differs in the carinate keel, higher base, the weaker but broader spiral cords on the basal field, which lack prominent beads, and the narrower, more cylindric umbilicus (e.g., Seguenza 1903: 457, pl. 17, figs 3–5; Melone & Taviani 1982: 531, figs 1–3; Melone & Taviani 1985: 178, figs 48–52; Cauli & Bogi 2000: 12, pl. 2, figs 1–2; Bogi et al. 2002: 33, figs 12–13; Forli et al. 2002: 143, figs 21–23).

Ĥlzl (1973) listed Architectonica monilifera (Bronn) from the Late Oligocene of Bavaria. We doubt that this occurrence can be reliably identified and exclude it from the chresonymy herein.

Paleoenvironment. Shallow marine inner neritic; the occurrence at Steinebrunn ( Austria) indicates seagrass environments (own data M.H.). Occurrence in the clay of the Baden Fm. (e.g., Baden) may also point to deeper water habitats.

Distribution. Only known from the Badenian in the Central Paratethys Sea, where it occurred from the early to the late Badenian.

Central Paratethys Sea. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Polish-Ukrainian Carpathian Foredeep: Zboriv ( Ukraine) ( Friedberg 1923); Vienna Basin: Baden, Baden-Sooss, Möllersdorf, Pfaffstätten, Steinebrunn, Vienna / Grinzing, Vienna /Pötzleinsdorf ( Austria) (hoc opus, Sieber 1953); Pannonian Basin: Szob ( Hungary) ( Csepreghy-Meznerics 1956), Hrvaćani ( Bosnia and Herzegovina) ( Atanacković 1985); B̧kk Mountains: Borsodbóta ( Hungary) ( Csepreghy-Meznerics 1969b); Făget Basin: Coşteiu de Sus ( Romania) (Boettger 1907).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Descriptive terms used in descriptions of Architectonicidae (modified from Bieler 1993).

FIGURE 2. Whorl cross-sections of Architectonicidae genera. All modified after Bieler (1993) except for Simplexollata, Basisulcata and Ammotectonica. Solatisonax? refers to Solatisonax? kostejana (Boettger, 1907), Bold genera are represented in the Paratethys Sea. SSC: subsutural cord, MC: mid cord(s), UPC: upper peripheral cord, LPC: lower peripheral cord, IPC: infraperipheral cord; UC: umbilical crenae; PUC: proxumbilical cord.

FIGURE 3. Descriptive terms used in descriptions of Mathildidae.

FIGURE 4 Protoconchs of Paratethyan Architectonicidae. A. Ammotectonica gregorovae nov. sp., paratype, NHMW 1862/0029/0078c. B. Simplexollata anticollata nov. sp., paratype, NHMW 1854/0035/0331, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania). C. Simplexollata carocollata (Lamarck, 1822), NHMW 1850/0018/0115, Léognan (France), Burdigalian. D. Simplexollata simplex (Bronn, 1831), NHMW 2013/0078/0109, Baden (Austria).E. Nipteraxis deformatusnov. sp., paratype, NHMW 2010/0004/0456a, Bad Vöslau (Austria). F. Nipteraxis exmoniliferus (Sacco, 1892), NHMW 1907/0323/1959, M̂llersdorf (Austria). G. Solatectonica kostejana (Boettger, 1907), NHMW 2012/0229/0049b, Traiskirchen (Austria). H. Nipteraxis monilifer (Bronn, 1831), NHMW 1846/0037/0427, M̂llersdorf (Austria). I. Solatisonax tavianii nov. sp., NHMW2016/0266/0002, SL: 8.0 mm, MD: 15.0 mm, Lăpugiu des Sus (Romania). J. Solatisonax transversa nov. sp., holotype, NHMW 2016/0177/0341, Lăpugiu de Sus (Roma- nia). K. Granosolarium semilaevis (Sacco, 1892), NHMW 1846/0037/0428d, M̂llersdorf (Austria). L. Heliacus globosus nov. sp., holotype NHMW 1907/0328/1959a, M̂llersdorf (Austria). M. Heliacus miser (Dujardin, 1837), NHMW 2023/0267/0001, Steinebrunn (Austria). N. Pseudotorinia grasemanni nov. sp., paratype, NHMW 2023/0267/0010, Steinebrunn (Austria). O. Pseudotorinia marthae (Boettger, 1902), NHMW 2012/0229/0049, Traiskirchen (Austria). All figures same scale.

FIGURE 17 A1–A3. Nipteraxis exmoniliferus (Sacco, 1892), holotype, NHMW 1851/0013/0085, Steinebrunn (Austria). B1–B3. Nipteraxis exmoniliferus (Sacco, 1892), NHMW 2007z0078/0016a, Baden (Austria). C1–C3. Nipteraxis exmoniliferus (Sacco, 1892), NHMW 2007z0078/0016b, Baden (Austria). D1–D3. Nipteraxis exmoniliferus (Sacco, 1892), NHMW 1864/0001/0589, Steinebrunn (Austria).