Timbellus weinmannae, Harzhauser & Landau & Merle, 2025

Timbellus weinmannae sp. nov.

Figs 64 View FIGURE 64 , 69A–C View FIGURE 69

Pterynotus (Pterynotus) swainsonii ( Michelotti, 1841) — Stojaspal 1978: 337, pl. 4, fig. 5 [non Timbellus swainsonii ( Michelotti,

1841)]. Pterynotus swainsonii ( Michelotti, 1841) — Chirli 2000: 17, pl. 9, figs 11–12 [non Timbellus swainsonii ( Michelotti, 1841) ]. Timbellus swainsonii ( Michelotti, 1841) — Merle et al. 2011 (pars): 458, pl. 107, fig. 7 (only) [non Timbellus swainsonii

( Michelotti, 1841)].

Type material. Holotype. NHMW A1509 View Materials , SL: 58.5 mm, MD: 22.7 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), Figs 69C View FIGURE 69 1 –C View FIGURE 1 3 View FIGURE 3 . Paratypes. NHMW 2024 View Materials /0073/0001, SL: 59.5 mm, MD: 22.7 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), illustrated in Hoernes & Auinger (1885: pl. 29, figs 4a–b), Figs 69A View FIGURE 69 1 –A View FIGURE 1 3 View FIGURE 3 .

NHMW A1509, SL: 62.8 mm, MD: 24.4 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus ( Romania), Figs 69B View FIGURE 69 1 –B View FIGURE 1 3 View FIGURE 3 .

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

Type stratum. Silt and clay of the Dej Formation.

Age. Middle Miocene, early/middle Badenian (Langhian).

Etymology. In honor of Anna Weinmann, micropaleontologist at the Natural History Museum Vienna ( Austria).

Diagnosis. Large, slender fusiform, trivaricate shell with high spire, very long siphonal canal, subobsolete spiral sculpture except for narrow cords on varices.

Description. Large, slender fusiform, trivaricate shell with high spire; apical angle ~38°. Protoconch unknown. Teleoconch of up to seven whorls. Suture moderately incised, shallowly undulating. Early teleoconch whorls moderately convex, faintly shouldered. Three wing-like varices starting on second teleoconch whorl. Varices straight or forming curved line in apical view; offset by about 13° between whorls. One indistinct intervarical rib forming blunt tubercle below mid-whorl. Spiral sculpture subobsolete, of about six, narrow cords (P1–P4 plus s1 and s2) on penultimate whorl. Last whorl attaining ~70% of total height, moderately convex, strongly constricted. Spiral sculpture very weak to subobsolete; P1-P6, P6 on convex part of whorl, ADP, MP equal in strength, s1, s2 and s3 slightly weaker, other secondaries not developed; intervarical rib indistinct; fasciole narrow, poorly delimited. Aperture ovate; outer lip thickened, internal denticles (D1 to D4) hardly developed, D5–D6 indistinct; D1, D3, D4 occasionally bifid; terminal varix with shallow groove reaching from interior of outer lip to tip of P1; anal canal wide, indistinct; siphonal canal very long, narrow, open, slightly bent to the left with the tip deflected to the right; tip slightly dorsally reflected. Columella weakly excavated. Columellar callus forming broad rim, weakly erect abapically, adherent in parietal area.

Discussion. Timbellus weinmannae sp. nov. differs from other Paratethyan Timbellus species in its large size and slender fusiform shape with a longer siphonal canal than in any of its Paratethyan congeners. Timbellus swainsonii ( Michelotti, 1841) differs in its shorter spire and lacks the P1 groove on the terminal varix. Timbellus membranaceus ( Bellardi, 1873) is a poorly known species from the Langhian (Middle Miocene) of Sciolze ( Italy), based on a single specimen illustrated in Bellardi (1873: pl. 4, fig. 7; SL: 50 mm, MD: 22 mm). The type specimen was not listed by Ferrero Mortara et al. (1981) and seems to be lost. Based on the illustration in Bellardi (1873), T. membranaceus differs from T. weinmannae in its completely smooth shell surface, absence of intervarical ribs, extremely broad wing on the terminal varix, especially adjoining the siphonal canal, and broader columellar callus extending over the venter. Similarly, Timbellus longus ( Bellardi, 1873) , from the Burdigalian (Early Miocene) of Baldissero ( Italy), is based on a single specimen illustrated in Bellardi (1873: pl. 4, fig. 6, SL: 55 mm, MD: 26 mm), which is lost. Based on the illustration in Bellardi (1873), T. longus differs from T. weinmannae in its prominent spiral sculpture, the higher spire, and the position of the shoulder placed above mid-whorl.

Paleoenvironment. The occurrences in the Baden Formation of the Vienna Basin suggest middle to outer neritic environments in up to 250 m water depth ( Kranner et al. 2021).

Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Vienna Basin: Baden ( Austria) ( Merle et al. 2011); Făget Basin: Coşteiu de Sus ( Romania) (hoc opus).

Proto-Mediterranean Sea. Pliocene: Toscana: Monsindoli ( Italy) ( Chirli 2000).