Gastropods from the Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary in Denmark
Author
Hansen, Thomas
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-08-12
4654
1
1
196
journal article
26049
10.11646/zootaxa.4654.1.1
9ce1d103-9234-4fbe-9544-f1c294bb8783
1175-5326
3365803
CFD82CC0-3110-472E-972B-7ADC0C523A04
Leptomaria niloticiformis
(
Schlotheim, 1820
)
Figs 20
N–P
1820
Trochilites niloticiformis
Schlotheim
: 156–157.
1902
Pleurotomaria niloticiformis
v. Schlotheim sp. [
partim
]—Ravn: 215 (not Pl. 1, figs 3 and 4).
1903
Pleurotomaria niloticiformis
v. Schlotheim sp. [
partim
]—Ravn: 380 (other species included).
1933
Pleurotomaria niloticiformis
(Schlotheim)
—Ravn: 25, Pl. 1, fig. 10.
2014
Leptomaria niloticiformis
(von Schlotheim 1829)
—Lauridsen & Schnetler: 36–37, fig. 3A–D.
Diagnosis.
Very large, relatively high-spired
Leptomaria
with nearly straight sides dominated by fairly smooth spiral ribs on later whorls. Umbilicus wide (20–25 % of whorl diameter) on internal moulds. Selenizone located approximately 1/3 of the distance between the whorl sutures from the adapical suture (emended from
Pacaud (2004)
and
Schlotheim (1820))
.
Material.
A large specimen
MGUH
33095 from the Korsnaeb Mb. infilling at the base of the
Cerithium Limestone Mb.
at Højerup, and a smaller specimen,
ØSM
.10042-73 from a
Thalassinoides
burrow in the
Cerithium Limestone
at Rødvig. A further specimen with a diameter of
89.5 mm
and a height of more than
68 mm
has been examined from the private collection of Claus Heinberg. That one came from the
Thalassinoides
burrows cutting through the
Cerithium Limestone Member.
Type
stratum and
type
locality.
Middle Danian Coral Limestone
from
Faxe Quarry
,
Denmark
.
Occurrence.
This species occurs in the lower Danian
Cerithium Limestone Member
of the Rødvig Fm. at Stevns Klint, where the shells are found in
Thalassinoides
burrows containing material from the succeeding Stevns Klint Formation. The specimens, however, belong to a now eroded upper layer of the
Cerithium Limestone Member
as evidenced by their internal moulds consisting of
Cerithium Limestone
(pers. comm. Claus Heinberg Clausen, Roskilde University,
Denmark
). It is furthermore reported from the middle Danian Faxe Formation and upper Stevns Klint Formation at Faxe,
Denmark
(
Pacaud 2004
;
Ravn 1902
).
Description of
Cerithium Limestone
material.
Shell cyrtoconoid with a spire angle of between 70 and 80˚; umbilicus narrow or completely closed, but taking up between 20 and 25 % of total width on internal moulds; whorls with moderately distinct shoulder, resulting in a somewhat stepped shell outline. Whorl surface adapically and abapically of shoulder nearly straight to weakly convex, but may become slightly concave. Shell periphery with moderately pronounced, sharply rounded keel. Abaxial part of whorl fairly weakly convex. Selenizone narrow, taking up approximately 7 % of whorl height measured from suture to suture; selenizone generally indistinct, located immediately above shoulder about 1/3 of distance between keel and adapical suture from adapical suture. Selenizone replaced by open slit around 2/3 of a whorl from aperture. Aperture wide, subtriangular with flattened outer wall. Teleoconch sculpture above keel consisting of 10 weak spiral threads abapically of selenizone. Adapical part of whorl with about four weak spiral threads on adapical half and a more or less smooth abapical half adjoining selenizone. Growth lines very weak, mainly seen on shell base, but may produce a slightly grainy sculpture on the very early whorls.
Measurements.
The most complete specimen examined from the
Cerithium Limestone Member
has a diameter of
89.5 mm
and a height in excess of
68 mm
(apex missing), but specimens of more than
10 cm
in height are known from the middle Danien coral limestone of the
type
locality.
Remarks.
This species seem first to have moved out into the Danish Basin shortly before the marked sea level drop, which terminated the muddy
Cerithium Limestone
environment, and has thus not been found
in situ
in the
Cerithium Limestone
but only as redeposited shells in
Thalassinoides
burrows reaching down from the top of the formation. The material from the
Cerithium Limestone Member
may deviate slightly from the typical form from the middle Danian limestone at Faxe Quarry,
Denmark
, by a slightly more high-spired shape (spire angle below 80˚) and perhaps relatively finer spiral threads.
Leptomaria niloticiformis
(
Schlotheim, 1820
)
is readily distinguished from
L. meyeri
Pacaud
described below by the largely smooth spiral sculpture, the nearly straight whorl sides with only a weak shoulder and no pronounced concavity adapically of the selenizone, and by the location of the selenizone.