Pachyscyllium distans ( Probst, 1879 )

Pachyscyllium distans ( Probst, 1879)

Plate 2, Figs 20–25

* Scyllium distans Probst, 1879: 170 , pl. 3, figs?23, 24,?25.

Catulus ( Scyllium) af. minutissimus (Winkler) — Zbyszewski & Almeida 1950: 348, pl. 7, figs 124–126.

Catulus View in CoL af. gutatum (Probst)— Serralheiro 1954: 65, pl. 2, figs 52, 53.

Catulus View in CoL af. minutissimus (Winkler) — Serralheiro 1954: 66, pl. 2, figs 54–57.

Scyliorhinus distans ( Probst, 1879) — Cappetta 1970: 41, pl. 9, figs 1–18.

Scyliorhinus distans ( Probst, 1879) — Antunes & Jonet 1970: 158, pl. 10, figs 46–52.

Scyliorhinus distans ( Probst, 1879) — Jonet 1978: 27, pl. 1, figs 2–4.

Scyliorhinus distans ( Probst, 1879) — Cappetta 1987: 224.

Premontreia ( Oxyscyllium) distans ( Probst, 1879) = Pachyscyllium dachiardi ( Lawley, 1876) —Cappetta 2006: 70. Premontreia ( Oxyscyllium) distans ( Probst, 1879) — Reinecke & Wienrich 2009: 978, pl. 182, figs 7–10. Premontreia ( Oxyscyllium) distans ( Probst, 1879) — Reinecke et al. 2011: 52, pl. 52, 53.

Scyliorhinus distans Probst, 1879 [ sic]— Fialho 2015: 49, pl. 4, figs 1, 2.

Material. 24 isolated teeth. NHMW 2025 View Materials /0177/0022 ( 6 specimens) .

Description. The teeth of this species are significantly smaller than those of P. dachiardi . The principal cusp possesses a triangularly shaped principal cusp that is approximately twice to three times as high as its base width flanked by one or sometimes two mesial and distal cusplets. The lingual surface of the principal cusp ( Pl. 2, figs 20a, 21a, 22a, 23a, 24a, 25a) is strongly convex with three or six vertical striae along the basal region. The labial surface ( Pl. 4, figs 20b, 21b, 22b, 23b, 24b, 25b) is less convex with numerous vertical striae running from the crown base to halfway down the principal cusp’s height. The principal cusp of the lateral teeth becomes distally inclined. The root is divided into two root lobes by a central groove that has a flat base.

Discussion. The generic taxonomic assignment of this species has been debated for a long time. However, it is now accepted that it should be assigned to Pachyscyllium . The teeth of this species ( Pl. 4, figs 20–25) are significantly smaller in size than those of P. dachiardi , which probably represent sub-adult specimens. Since the introduction of Pachyscyllium by Reinecke et al. (2001) and Cappetta (2012), those authors considered P. dachiardi a synonym of P. distans . However, in our sample we could distinguish smaller and larger sized teeth that might reflect ontogenetic heterodonty.

Distribution. Upper Oligocene (Chattian), Mississippi, USA ( Cicimurri et al. 2025). Lower Miocene: Germany. Middle-upper Miocene: eastern Atlantic ( Portugal, Serralheiro 954; Antunes & Jonet 1970; Fialho 2015). Miocene (Undifferentiated): North Sea ( Netherlands), eastern Atlantic ( Portugal), Mediterranean ( France, Switzerland, Capetta 1987).

Distribution in Portugal. Middle Miocene: (Langhian-Serravallian) Lower Tagus Basin ( Serralheiro 1954; Antunes & Jonet 1970; Fialho 2015). Upper Miocene: (Tortonian) Lower Tagus Basin ( Serralheiro 1954); Algarve Basin, Cacela Fm. (this paper).