Hirtoscala pharos, Harzhauser & Landau, 2025

Hirtoscala pharos sp. nov.

Figs 28F View FIGURE 28 , 30C View FIGURE 30 1 –C View FIGURE 1 2 View FIGURE 2

Scala (Fuscoscala) tenuicosta Michaud, 1829 View in CoL —Kojumdgieva in Kojumdgieva & Strachimirov 1960: 93, pl. 30, fig. 1 [non Fuscoscala tenuicostata ( Michaud, 1829) ].

Scala (Fuscoscala) tenuicosta Michaud, 1829 View in CoL — Atanacković 1963: 72, pl. 12, fig. 8 [non Fuscoscala tenuicostata ( Michaud, 1829) ].

Scala (Fuscoscala) tenuicosta Michaud, 1829 View in CoL — Atanacković 1985: 115, pl. 27, figs 13–14 [non Fuscoscala tenuicostata ( Michaud, 1829) ].

Type material. Holotype, NHMW 1867 View Materials /0019/0250, SL: 14.9 mm, MD: 5.0 mm, CoŞteiu de Sus ( Romania), Figs 28F View FIGURE 28 , 30C View FIGURE 30 1 –C View FIGURE 1 2 View FIGURE 2 .

Type locality. CoŞteiu de Sus ( Romania), Făget Basin .

Type stratum. Silt and clay of the Dej Formation.

Age. Middle Miocene, Badenian (Langhian).

Etymology. After the ancient lighthouse Pharos, referring to the tower-like shape; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Medium sized, moderately slender, turreted shell with moderately impressed suture, moderately close-set, moderately raised, weakly prosocline lamellae, smooth, glossy interspaces, low last whorl.

Description. Shell medium sized, moderately slender (apical angle ~22°). Protoconch and early teleoconch whorls unknown. Teleoconch of at least 12 convex whorls, with periphery just above mid-whorl. Suture moderately impressed, linear. Sculpture of moderately close-set, moderately raised, weakly prosocline lamellae, not aligned axially (10: 12: 13), adapical tips faintly alate at suture. Crests of lamellae forming weak subsutural concavity, weakly rolled over. Interspaces between lamellae smooth, glossy. Last whorl attaining about 30% of total height, with weakly convex subsutural ramp, strongly convex periphery, lamellae strongly rolled over on base, no peribasal cord, base slightly sub-angled, weakly convex. Aperture ovate, columella concave. Columellar callus forming narrow rim, detached from base, parietal callus delicate. Peristome weakly thickened, duplex. Narrow umbilicus.

Discussion. This species is reminiscent of Hirtoscala miofrondiculoides ( Sacco, 1891) but differs in its larger size, slenderer shape, more numerous and lower teleoconch whorls and the less rolled over and therefore seemingly narrower varices. Hirtoscala hastata sp. nov. differs in it the presence of a narrow subsutural shelf and in its coronate shoulder. The Pliocene Mediterranean Hirtoscala proxima (de Boury, 1890) might be a closely related species and is a look-alike of the Paratethys species concerning size, shape and general sculpture but differs in its aligned varices (see de Boury 1890, pl. 4, fig. 9; Ferrero Mortara et al. 1984: pl. 4, fig. 16; Landau et al. 2006: pl. 11, figs 1–2).

This species was confused by previous authors with the extant Fuscoscala tenuicostata ( Michaud, 1829) [= Fuscoscala turtonis ( Turton, 1819) ], which is larger and differs in its striate axial interspaces and has broader lamellae, which are slightly alate at the adapical suture (see Weil et al. 1999: fig. 97; Landau et al. 2006: pl. 12, fig. 3).

Paleoenvironment. Unknown.

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Southern Pannonian Basin: Miljevići ( Bosnia and Herzegovina) ( Atanacković 1985). Dacian Basin: Dobrusha, Opanec ( Bulgaria) (Kojumdgieva in Kojumdgieva & Strachimirov 1960); Făget Basin: CoŞteiu de Sus ( Romania) (hoc opus).