Mesalia bohnhavasae Harzhauser & Landau 2019, new sp.
Creators: name: Harzhauser, Mathias
name: Landau, Bernard
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Sorbeoconcha
Turritellidae
Mesalia
Mesalia bohnhavasae

description: Mesalia bohnhavasae new sp.
Figs 6 Am, 28F, 28G, 28H
Turritella (A.[rchimediella]) vasconiensis terebriformis Cossmann et Peyrot, 1922 — Bohn-Havas, 1973: 1041, 1106, pl. 3, figs 13–14 [non Turritella vasconiensis terebriformis Cossmann & Peyrot, 1922].
Types. Holotype MBFSZ 6231 (Fig. 28F), height: 19.1 mm, width: 5.1 mm, Pécsszabolcs (Hungary). Paratypes MBFSZ 6271 (Fig. 28G), height: 19.2 mm, width: 6.2 mm, Pécsszabolcs (Hungary); MBFSZ 6254 (Fig. 28H), height: 18.8 mm, width: 5.3 mm, Pécsszabolcs (Hungary). Additional paratypes 15 specimens, MBFSZ collection, Pécsszabolcs (Hungary).
Type stratum. Sandy clay of the ‘lignitic series’ (Bohn-Havas 1973).
Type locality. Pécsszabolcs (Hungary).
Age. Middle Miocene, Badenian (= late Langhian or early Serravallian).
Etymology. In honor of Margit Bohn-Havas, Hungarian paleontologist, who described this species (as Turritella vasconiensis terebriformis) in her paper on the Badenian mollusc fauna of the Mecsek Mountains.
Description. Shell small, moderately slender, of about 10 teleoconch whorls. Protoconch paucispiral comprising <two whorls with low, convex first whorl. Early teleoconch whorls angulated below mid-whorl, bearing about 5–7 spiral threads of variable strength below angulation; sutural ramp smooth. Surface of later teleoconch whorls with delicate spiral threads on entire shell or nearly smooth. Suture moderately incised. Angulation becoming subobosolete on last teleoconch whorls in some shells, being replaced by broad convexity in abapical third of whorls. Lateral sinus with moderate angle; moderately deep, simple concave with faintly sigmoidal part close below adapical suture; maximum depth in adapical half of whorl. Basal sinus very shallow, weakly prosocyrt. Aperture subcircular, slightly effusive abapically; outer lip slightly thickened; basal lip broad. Columella strongly concave, inner lip solid, with prominent oblique fold. No inner lirae developed.
Shell measurements and ratios. Complete specimens (n=3): SL = 19.0 mm (σ = 0.04 mm), MD: 5.5 mm (σ = 0.3 mm); AA: μ = 31.1° (σ = 3.7°), PA: μ = 15.7° (σ = 3.2°). Lateral sinus (n = 5): LS angle = 11.5° (σ = 1.4°), LS p = 0.8 (σ = 0.1), LS d = 5.5 (σ = 0.9).
Discussion. Mesalia bohnhavasae is superficially similar to Mesalia sovisi new sp., but differs in its slightly smaller size and the slender outline (SL/W ratio of 2.96 in M. bohnhavasae versus 3.45 in M. sovisi). In addition, M. sovisi lacks the prominent angulation of the spire whorls, has a relatively larger last whorl, a much more prominent spiral sculpture, and its lateral sinus angle is lower. Mesalia styriaca new sp. is comparable in its slender profile but differs in its marked angulation and prominent spiral sculpture. Mesalia taurocompressa Sacco, 1895 and M. depressoturrita Sacco, 1895, from the Italian Miocene, have regularly convex whorls and a deeper suture. A very similar species is Mesalia cestasensis (Cossmann & Peyrot, 1922), from the Aquitanian of Cestas (France), which differs in its much larger size (SL: about 35 mm), the more pronounced angulation, and the wide and deep lateral sinus (see http://mediaphoto.mnhn.fr/media/1450426203520aBV7CFYIjhsqu2Y1).
This species was identified by Bohn-Havas (1973) as Turritella vasconiensis terebriformis Cossmann & Peyrot, 1922, a species which was originally described by Cossmann & Peyrot (1922: 26, pl. 2, figs 14–15) from the Langhian of Saubrigues and Manciet in France. The French species differs distinctly in its very slender profile, comparatively higher teleoconch whorls and the lower base (and is an Archimediella).
The specimens are part of the collection of the Mining and Geological Survey of Hungary (MBFSZ) but are currently stored in a remote depot in Rákóczibánya (NE Hungary)
Distribution. Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Mecsek Mountains: Pécsszabolcs (Hungary) (Bohn-Havas 1973).
description: Published as part of Harzhauser, Mathias & Landau, Bernard, 2019, Turritellidae (Gastropoda) of the Miocene Paratethys Sea with considerations about turritellid genera, pp. 1-136 in Zootaxa 4681 (1) on pages 104-105, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4681.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3472368