Thericium upliscichense ( Kurtskhalia, 1975 )

Thericium upliscichense ( Kurtskhalia, 1975)

Figs 59A–B View FIGURE 59

* Cerithium upliccichensis [sic] Kurtskhalia sp. nov. — Kurtskhalia 1975: 88, pl. 1, figs 12–13.

С [erithium]. upliscichensis — Nevesskaya et al. 1986: 92.

Cerithium upliscichensis — Minashvili & Ananiashbili 2020: 92.

Type material. Lectotype (designated herein): Nr. 114/11, SL: 10.7 mm, MD: 6.5 mm, illustrated in Kurtskhalia (1975: pl. 1, fig. 13). Paralectotypes (not seen, not illustrated): 15 well-preserved specimens from the lower part of the Uplistsikhe Formation (including specimen 114/11) and two well-preserved and numerous incomplete specimens from the upper part of the Uplistsikhe Formation ( Kurtskhalia 1975). The specimens were stored in the collection of the Georgian Division of the All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Geology ( VNIGNI) in Tbilisi, but we have not been able to trace the material. Here we reproduce the poor illustrations from Kurtskhalia (1975), Figs 59A–B View FIGURE 59 .

Revised description. Medium sized, moderately broad conical shells of about seven weakly convex teleoconch whorls with narrow subsutural ramp; apical angle ~38° ( Kurtskhalia 1975 gives 35 mm as maximum height). Suture moderately incised. About eight prominent, widely spaced axial ribs, fading over subsutural ramp and overrun by several prominent spiral cords. Last whorl inflated with slightly wider subsutural ramp, distinct angulation above mid-whorl, coinciding with prominent nodes on axial ribs. Base moderately constricted with two prominent peribasal cords. Aperture poorly preserved, ovate.

Discussion. This species is reminiscent of the Early Miocene Thericium putzgruberi sp. nov. but differs in its broader axial ribs and large nodes on the last whorl. Kurtskhalia (1975) introduced this species as Cerithium upliccichensis , which obviously is a lapsus calami for upliscichensis . On the plate captions, she used the correct name, which was also used by subsequent authors.

Paleoenvironment. Unknown; probably coastal marine, inner neritic, based on the accompanying fauna (own data A.G.).

Distribution. This is a rare species from the Sakaraulian of the Eastern Paratethys, which corresponds to the Aquitanian ( Minashvili & Ananiashbili 2017; Popov et al 2022b).

Eastern Paratethys. Sakaraulian (Early Miocene): Kartli Basin : Uplistsikhe ( Georgia) (hoc opus).