Crassimurex ( Pliocrassimurex ) hirtus, Merle & Pacaud & Ledon & Goret, 2024

Crassimurex ( Pliocrassimurex) hirtus View in CoL n. subgen., n. sp.

( Figs 21 View FIG A-F; 28C-E)

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TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype. Spain • Llobregat Basin , Molins del Rei ; Yellow and grey clays of Molins del Rei (quarry Anna); Pliocene (Zanclean); MNHN.F.A77751 ( MNHN coll.),H: 28 mm ( Figs 21A,B View FIG ; 28E View FIG ). Paratypes. Spain • 2 spm; same as for the holotype; MNHN.F.A77752 ( MNHN coll.) ( Figs 21C, D View FIG ; 28D View FIG , MNHN.F.A77753 ( MNHN coll.) ( Figs 21E, F View FIG ; 28C View FIG ).

ETYMOLOGY. — From the Latin adjective hirtus meaning bristly, because of the cord spines of the species; gender masculine.

TYPE HORIZON. — Yellow and grey clays of Molins del Rei (quarry Anna).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Spain, Llobregat Basin , Pliocene (Zanclean; see Salvany & Aguirre 2020), Molins del Rei (quarry Anna).

DISTRIBUTION. — Only known from the type locality.

DESCRIPTION

Protoconch not preserved. Teleoconch up to 28 mm in height ( holotype), up to 7.6 mm in width, biconic in profile, composed of six whorls. Moderately low spire with carinate whorls. Last whorl up to 76% of total length. Apical angle 68°. Spiral sculpture with marked primary cords. First whorl: not preserved; from second to fourth whorl: presence of P1 and P2, P2 close to abapical suture; fifth whorl: appearance of IP; sixth whorl: appearance of abis infrasutural ramp. P1 to P5 and s1 to s3 on convex part of whorl; P6, ADP, MP and ABP on siphonal canal. Axial sculpture with high, sublamellose varices. On second whorl: 9-10 varices; on third whorl: ten varices; from fourth whorl to fifth whorl: 8-10 varices; on sixth whorl: eight varices. On spire, short cord spines on P1-P2; P1 delimiting periphery. On last whorl, short cord spines on IP, P1-P6, ADP, MP, ABP, but more developed on P1, P2 and P3; P2 delimiting periphery. Ovate aperture up to 31% of diameter and up to 74% of length of last whorl (including siphonal canal). Columellar lip, smooth, adherent. Parietal lip smooth, adherent. Outer lip lacking internal denticles. Pseudoumbilicus moderately large. Siphonal canal open, up to 41% of aperture length, slightly dorsally recurved. Aragonitic microstructure.

COMMENTS By its shape and its sculpture, C. ( Pliocrassimurex) hirtus n. subgen., n. sp. resembles members of Crassimurex Merle, 1990 . However, until now, Crassimurex was not known in the Pliocene and seemed extinct after the Middle Miocene. Crassimurex is currently represented by two subgenera, Crassimurex ( s.s.): early Eocene to middle Eocene, France, and Crassimurex ( Eopaziella) : late Eocene to Middle Miocene (Europe). Therefore, the discovery of a species of Crassimurex in the Early Pliocene of Spain is surprising and extends the stratigraphic range of the genus. Crassimurex ( Pliocrassimurex) differs from Crassimurex ( s.s.) and C. ( Eopaziella) by having a more obtuse shoulder angle. In C. ( Pliocrassimurex ), P2 delimits the periphery on the last whorl, whereas in Crassimurex ( s.s.) and C. ( Eopaziella), P1 delimits the periphery. Crassimurex ( s.s.) 1990 can share cord spines with C. ( Pliocrassimurex ), as seen in the type species C. ( s.s.) calcitrapa ( Lamarck, 1803) ( Fig. 21G, H View FIG ), but it differs by having varices which are not axially aligned. Crassimurex ( Eopaziella) resembles C. ( Pliocrassimurex ) by having varices axially aligned but differs in lacking cord spines (see Merle et al. 2011: 178, fig. 62, pl. 144).