Pazinotus pulcher Harzhauser, Landau & Merle, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Harzhauser, Mathias
name: Landau, Bernard M.
name: Merle, Didier
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Neogastropoda
Muricidae
Pazinotus
Pazinotus pulcher

description: Pazinotus pulcher sp. nov.
Figs 21, 22A–E
Type material. Holotype: NHMW 1866/0001/0841, SL: 8.2 mm, MD: 4.0 mm, Niederleis (Austria), figs. 22A 1 –A 3. Paratypes: NHMW 1866/0001/0841a, SL: 8.3 mm, MD: 4.4 mm, Niederleis (Austria), figs. 22B 1 –B 3. NHMW 1866/0001/0841b, SL: 9.0 mm, MD: 4.2 mm, Niederleis (Austria), figs. 22C 1 –C 3. NHMW 1866/0001/0841c, SL: 6.3 mm, MD: 4.6 mm, Niederleis (Austria), figs. 22D 1 –D 2. NHMW 1866/0001/0841d, SL: 7.8 mm, MD: 4.5 mm, Niederleis (Austria), figs. 22E.
Type locality. Niederleis (Austria), Vienna Basin.
Type stratum. Baden Formation.
Age. Middle Miocene, middle Badenian (Langhian).
Etymology. pulcher, Latin for beautiful.
Diagnosis. Small, delicate, fusiform shell with slightly scalate spire and seven narrow, raised, weakly foliaceous varices aligned along shell axis, forming adapically directed spines along shoulder; siphonal canal moderately long.
Description. Small, delicate, fusiform shell with slightly scalate spire; apical angle ~50°. Protoconch high conical of two smooth, moderately convex whorls. Teleoconch of up to four whorls. Suture strongly incised, linear. Early teleoconch whorls with shallow subsutural ramp, narrowly rounded shoulder, subcylindrical periphery, constricted below. Axial sculpture of seven narrow, raised, foliaceous varices. Spiral sculpture of weak P1 and P2; P1 forming short, open, adapically directed spines along shoulder. Last whorl attaining ~65% of total height; with shallow subsutural ramp, rounded shoulder subcylindrical periphery, moderately constricted below, high base. Axials sculpture of seven narrow, foliaceous varices, strictly aligned axially. Spiral sculpture weak, most prominent on varices; IP weak, P1–P4 and ADP forming low, broad cords. Subobsolete P5, P6 and secondary cords s1, s2 and s3. P1 forming short, adapically directed spines. Fasciole weakly swollen, delimiting narrow groove. Aperture narrowly ovate. Outer lip thickened with weak D1–D5. Anal canal wide, indistinct. Siphonal canal moderately long, narrow, open, slightly bent to the left, dorsally recurved at tip. Columella weakly excavated, smooth, twisted at siphonal canal. Columellar callus forming narrow, sharply delimited rim, erect at siphonal canal, adherent in parietal area.
Discussion. Pazinotus pulcher sp. nov. is superficially reminiscent of Pazinotus typhioides (Mayer, 1869), from the Langhian of the Loire Basin. They differ in the weaker spiral sculpture and higher base of P. pulcher. Pazinotus hamulifer (Boettger, 1906) has more numerous varices on the spire whorls and a much longer spine on the terminal varix. Pazinotus attonans (Boettger, 1906) is reminiscent of P. pulcher in its spiral sculpture but has a strongly foliaceous terminal varix.
Paleoenvironment. The Niederleis section, sediment and biota from coastal and lagoonal environments not exceeding 30 m water depth were transported by tempestites into offshore settings (Mandic et al. 2002). Occurrences at Letkés (Hungary) point to inner neritic environments with corals (Kovács & Vicián 2014).
Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Vienna Basin: Niederleis (Austria).
Genus Pygmaepterys E.H. Vokes, 1978
Type species. Murex alfredensis Bartsch, 1915; original designation by E.H. Vokes (1978: 398). Present-day, South Africa.
description: Published as part of Harzhauser, Mathias, Landau, Bernard M. & Merle, Didier, 2025, The Muricidae (Gastropoda, Muricoidea) of the Miocene Paratethys Sea (Aspellinae, Ergalataxinae, Coralliophilinae, Rapaninae), pp. 1-106 in Zootaxa 5611 (1) on pages 38-40, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5611.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/15215738