Lepidochitona larratensis, Dell'Angelo, Lesport, Cluzaud & Sosso, 2020

Dell’Angelo, Bruno, Sosso, Maurizio & Taviani, Marco, 2025, The Cenozoic European Polyplacophora (Mollusca), Zootaxa 5704 (1), pp. 1-377 : 224-225

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5704.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:747DFE8B-156A-493A-8817-5F861C4D6319
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FEF726-FF30-4EF0-0FAD-FBBC6B59910A
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Lepidochitona larratensis
status

Treatment

Lepidochitona larratensis View in CoL Dell’Angelo, Lesport, Cluzaud & Sosso, 2020

Fig. 112 View FIGURE 112

Lepidochitona larratensis View in CoL Dell’Angelo, Lesport, Cluzaud & Sosso, 2020b, p. 26, figs 16.

Type material. Holotype MHNBx 2020.2.6, intermediate valve, width 2.7 mm ( Figs 112A–D View FIGURE 112 ). Paratype MHNBx 2020.2.9, intermediate valve ( Fig. 112E View FIGURE 112 ).

Type locality. Gaas , Larrat ( France) .

Type stage. Oligocene (Rupelian).

Material examined. Oligocene (Rupelian): Gaas: type material plus Benoist collection (MHNBx 2014.14.21.1, MHNBx2014.14.21.2, Figs 112F–H View FIGURE 112 , labeled Tonicia waltebledi de Rochebrune, 1882 ); Rupelian levels: 3 intermediate valves ( BD 937 ); Larrat: 60 intermediate valves ( AC, DA, JCV). Maximum width: 4.3 mm .

Description. Head and tail valves not present. Intermediate valve broadly rectangular (W/L = 1.44–2.13), semicarinate in anterior profile, highly elevated (H/W = 0.56–0.62), anterior margin slightly sinuose, weakly concave in jugum, lateral margins rounded, posterior margin concave at both sides of very prominent apex, lateral areas scarcely differentiated.

Tegmentum entirely covered by irregularly arranged, elevated, roundish granules, some coalescent, diameter up to 86 μm; each granule bearing a more or less central megalaesthete, and up to eight micraesthetes arranged irregularly along margin, additional micraesthetes randomly placed between granules.

Articulamentum with apophyses small and triangular, slit formula one slit for each side, slit rays clearly visible, second slit ray lies close to posterior margin.

Remarks. This species is characterized by the tegmentum entirely covered by irregularly arranged roundish granules, and the intermediate valves elevated, with a very prominent apex.

The two valves from the Benoist collection at MHNBx (MHNBx 2014.14.21.1, MHNBx 2014.14.21.2), labeled Tonicia waltebledi de Rochebrune, 1882 , have been considered conspecific to Lepidochitona larratensis Dell’Angelo, Lesport, Cluzaud & Sosso by Dell’Angelo et al. (2020b). These valves show a slightly different shape, with higher values of W/L (2.13–2.20 vs. 1.94 of the type material) and similar H/W (0.58–0.61 vs. 0.56–0.62 of the type material).

Comparisons. The closest species is Lepidochitona chalossensis Dell’Angelo, Lesport, Cluzaud & Sosso, 2020, see above.

Distribution. Middle Oligocene: northeastern Atlantic (Rupelian): Aquitaine Basin, France: Gaas ( Dell’Angelo et al. 2020b).