Lepidochitona furtiva ( Monterosato, 1879 )

Lepidochitona furtiva ( Monterosato, 1879) View in CoL

Fig. 102 View FIGURE 102

Chiton ruber (L.) Lowe, var.; Monterosato 1872, p. 29 ( nomen nudum). Chiton furtivus ; Monterosato 1875, p. 21; Monterosato 1878a, p. 77; Monterosato 1878b, p. 147 ( nomen nudum). Chiton furtivus Monterosato, 1879, p. 19 ; Appolloni et al. 2018, p. 22, figs 1.G–H. Lepidochitona furtiva View in CoL ; Gaglini 1985, p. ix, pl. 1, fig. 5, pl. 6, figs 5–6; Kaas & Van Belle 1985b: p. 91, fig. 42, map 18;

Dell’Angelo & Smriglio 1999, p. 150, pls 49–50, fig. 77; Garilli et al. 2005, p. 136, pl. 3, figs 4–8; Puchalski et al. 2008

(database: chiton fossil records); Koskeridou et al. 2009, p. 320, figs 10.6–10.7.

Type material. Lectotype MCZR –M–12718/L, designated by Gaglini (1985) . Paralectotype MCZR –M–12718/P ( Appolloni et al. 2018) .

Type locality. Palermo ( Sicily, Italy) .

Material examined. Pleistocene: Greece: Kyllini: 28 valves ( BD 892, Figs 102D–E, 102G–H View FIGURE 102 , DGUP, Figs 102A–C, 102F View FIGURE 102 ). Maximum width of the valves: - / 2.1 / 2.3 mm

Description. Head valve almost semicircular, posterior margin forms a very obtuse angle. Intermediate valves broadly rectangular (W/L = 2.73), rather depressed (H/W = 0.25–0.29), semicarinate in anterior profile, anterior margin straight, side margins rounded, posterior margin with pronounced apex, slightly concave at both sides, lateral areas hardly raised. Tail valve semielliptical (W/L = 1.70–2.01), anterior margin almost straight, mucro anterior, not prominent, antemucronal slope almost straight, postmucronal slope slightly concave.

Tegmentum minutely granulose, almost smooth, with several concentric growth marks scarcely visible, aesthetes very dense.

Articulamentum with apophyses triangular in intermediate valves, trapezoid in tail valve, separate by a jugal sinus flat, about one third of the valve’s width, teeth roughened at outside, slit formula 8/1/10–13, slits short, inequidistant, eaves very porous.

Remarks. The fossil record of Lepidochitona furtiva ( Monterosato, 1879) is limited to the Pleistocene of Greece ( Garilli et al. 2005) and Rhodes ( Koskeridou et al. 2009).

Recently, several living specimens of Lepidochitona furtiva were found attached to thalli of Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile , washed ashore following storms ( Kaas & Van Belle 1988). This observation suggests an ecological association with the SGCF biocenosis (Gravina et al. 1992).A similar pattern is evident in the fossil record at Kyllini ( Garilli et al. 2005), where numerous valves were recovered from the N2 layer, which is notably rich in Posidonia remains, including both leaves and rhizomes.

Comparisons. Lepidochitona furtiva shows some resemblance to L. verrucosa Dell’Angelo & Forli, 1996, a species known from the Tuscan Pliocene, that is characterized by a tegmentum covered with large irregular scales similar to warts (see below).

Distribution. Upper Pliocene to upper Pleistocene: Greece: Rhodes Island ( Koskeridou et al. 2009). Pleistocene: central Mediterranean, Greece: Kyllini ( Garilli et al. 2005). Recent: Mediterranean: France, Italy ( Dell’Angelo & Smriglio, 1999), Malta, Turkey ( Ozturk et al. 2014) Algeria, Tunisia ( Kaas 1989; Cecalupo et al. 2008).