Episcomitra hilberi Harzhauser & Landau 2021, nov. comb.
Creators: name: Harzhauser, Mathias
name: Landau, Bernard
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Neogastropoda
Mitridae
Episcomitra
Episcomitra hilberi

description: Episcomitra hilberi (Hoernes & Auinger 1880) nov. comb.
Figs 3G 1 –G 2, H 1 –H 2
[Mitra] Hilberi nov. form.—Hoernes 1880: 125 [nomen nudum].
* Mitra Hilberi nov. form.— Hoernes & Auinger 1880: 76, pl. 9, figs 9–10.
M. [itra] Hilberi— Cossmann 1899: 156.
? Mitra hilberi Hoernes & Auinger an sp. dist.— Csepreghy-Meznerics 1956: 414, pl. 9, figs 15–17.
? Mitra hilberi pseudopolygyrata nov. var. — Strausz 1966: 363, pl. 12, figs 10–11.
Mitra hilberi Hoernes & Auinger, 1880 — Cernohorsky 1976: 377.
? Mitra hilberi var. pseudopolygyrata Strausz 1966 — Cernohorsky 1976: 377.
non Mitraria (Mitraria) hilberi (Hoernes & Auinger, 1880) — Bałuk 2006: 215, pl. 14, fig. 8 [= Costellariidae].
Type material. Lectotype (designated herein): NHMW 1865 /0015/0014, SL: 44.7 mm, MD: 11.8 mm, Jerutek at Lysice (Czech Republic), Hoernes & Auinger (1880, pl. 9, fig. 9), figs 3H 1 –H 2. Paralectotype: NHMW 1854 /0035/0100, SL: 30.1 mm, MD: 9.3 mm, Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania), Hoernes & Auinger (1880, pl. 9, figs 10a–b), figs 3G 1 –G 2.
Additional material. NHMW 1864 /0001/0445, 1 specimen, Drnovice u Vyškova (Czech Republic).
Revised description. Shell medium sized, slender fusiform with high spire and low last whorl. Protoconch unknown. About nine teleoconch whorls with narrow suture. Early teleoconch whorls weakly convex, periphery at mid-whorl. Sculpture consisting of six weak spiral cords fading out within fourth to fifth whorl. Last whorl low, weakly convex to subcylindrical with faint shoulder. Blurred spiral grooves between adapical suture and shoulder. Base moderately constricted with few spiral cords. Aperture wide, short, ovate. Columellar callus narrow, moderately thickened, sharply delimited; parietal callus not developed, bearing three prominent columellar folds, weakening abapically, with fourth subobsolete fold. Outer lip not preserved. Siphonal canal short, wide, weakly twisted with moderately deep siphonal notch.
Shell measurements and ratios (holotype). SL = 30.1 mm, MD: 9.3 mm, AA = 23°, A/S = 0.8, SL/ MD: 3.8, AL/AW: 3.8, AH/S: 2.3.
Discussion. Episcomitra hilberi is unique within Paratethyan Mitridae due to its high spire and low last whorl. The paratype from Lăpugiu de Sus (Romania) is a subadult specimen, but agrees well with the holotype in shape and sculpture at a similar growth stage. The specimen from Hungary described by Csepreghy-Meznerics (1956) and Strausz (1966) as variety of M. hilberi; Mitra hilberi pseudopolygyrata nov. var. is most probably conspecific. This name, however, is not available according ICZN Article 15.2., which states: “ A new name published after 1960 expressly as the name of a ‘variety’ or ‘form’ is deemed to be infrasubspecific and as such is not regulated by the Code ”.
The specimen from Korytnica (Poland) identified as Mitraria hilberi by Bałuk (2006) differs in its small size and the presence of lirae within the outer lip, and rather represents a costellariid. Mitra megaspira Bellardi, 1887, from the early Miocene of Italy, is the morphologically closest species from the European Neogene, but has a lower and broader spire and consequently a proportionately taller last whorl, and lacks spiral sculpture (see holotype in Ferrero-Mortara et al., 1981, pl. 46, figs 12a–b). Mitra agnata Bellardi, 1887, from the middle Miocene of Italy (see holotype in Ferrero-Mortara et al., 1981, pl. 43, figs 2a–b), is reminiscent of E. hilberi but has a higher last whorl and lacks the prominent basal concavity.
Palaeoenvironment. Unknown. Probably middle to outer neritic environments.
Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (middle Miocene): North-Alpine-Carpathian Foredeep: Jerutek at Lysice, Drnovice u Vyškova (Czech Republic) (Hoernes & Auinger 1880);? Pannonian Basin: Sámsonháza (Hungary) (Strausz, 1966); Făget Basin: Lăpugiu de Sus, Bujtur (Romania).
description: Published as part of Harzhauser, Mathias & Landau, Bernard, 2021, The Mitridae (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda) of the Miocene Paratethys Sea, pp. 1-72 in Zootaxa 4983 (3) on pages 12-13, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4983.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4921887