Ascheria

Kaim, Andrzej, Jenkins, Robert G., Tanabe, Kazushige & Kiel, Steffen, 2014, Mollusks from late Mesozoic seep deposits, chiefly in California, Zootaxa 3861 (5), pp. 401-440 : 417

Ascheria ? sp.

( Fig. 7A–D )

Description. Large high-spired shell with remnants of opisthocline axial ribs and/or growth lines. Spiral lirae bestdeveloped on whorl/base demarcation and base. Subsutural constriction developing on the adult portion of the shell. Juvenile whorls unknown unless specimens of Kugler et al. (1994) and Gill et al. (2005) belong to the same species. Protoconch unknown. Aperture drop-shaped.

Material and occurrence. Four specimens from Joes River Formation (probably Eocene-Miocene), Barbados collected by Peter Jung. Three specimens (NMB-H 20154, 20155, 20158) from Loc. 10039 (Joes River, western branch of Spa River, between Spa and Richmond Ridge under oceanic cliff. Joes River mudflow. Marlstone lenses with fossils in pebbly clays. 349 E to Spa windmill) and one specimen (NMB-H 20162) from Loc. 10070 (Joes River mudflows in branches of River S of Bissex Hill).

Remarks. Additional specimens which may belong to this species are illustrated by Kugler et al. (1984) and Gill et al. (2005) as “ Diastoma sp.” and "Cerithid indet." ( Kugler et al. 1984), and as “ Abyssochryssos sp.” and “zygopleurid sp. B” ( Gill et al. 2005). The specimens we examined are only fragmentary and a study of the entire material available from Barbados would be necessary for a more accurate taxonomic assessment. The gross morphology of all specimens (especially NMB-H 20154, 20155, 20158) is reminiscent of Abyssomelania but the most characteristic feature of Abyssomelania , the abyssomelanid riblets is absent in the specimens from Barbados. Nevertheless it is possible that the specimen from locality 10070 (NMB-H 20162) belongs to Ascheria ( Fig. 7D ) due to the presence of a subsutural constriction, while the specimens NMB-H 20154, 20155, and 20158 from locality 10039 belong to Abyssomelania .

Figures

FIGURE 7. A – D. Ascheria? sp. from Eocene-Miocene Joes River seep sites in Barbados. A – C. NMB-H 20154, 20155, 20158 from Loc. 10039. D. NMB-H 20162 from Loc. 10070. E-F. Ascheria gigantea (Kiel et al. 2008) from? Early Cretaceous seep carbonates at East Berryessa, Napa County, California, USA. E. Holotype (UCMP 555095). F. Paratype (UCMP 555096), the arrow indicates subsutural constriction. G, J – M. Humptulipsia nobuharai sp. nov. from seep carbonates in Campanian- Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) Sada Limestone, Shikoku, Japan. G. UMUT MM 31173 fragmentary specimen displaying the humptulipsid slit (arrow) on the shell base. J. Holotype (UMUT MM 31170), the arrow indicates humtulipsid slit. K. Paratype (UMUT MM 31230). L. Paratype (UMUT MM 31171). M. Paratype (UMUT MM 31172). H, I. Humptulipsia raui (Goedert & Kaler, 1996) from seep carbonates in Western Washington State. H. Possibly a juvenile specimen (USNM 531408) of H. raui from late Oligocene Lincoln Creek Formation. I. Adult specimen (UWBM 97854) from middle Eocene Humptulips Formation (see also Kiel 2008).