Conus (Lautoconus) lauriatragei  (Psarras, Merle & Koskeridou, 2022)

 


Shell description

Large-sized shell (SL max.: l83.84 mm), with hemispherical-shaped spire and smooth shoulder. Early spire whorls convex, smooth, resulting in flat to convex outline. Later spire whorls strongly convex, elevated. Suture channelled, irregular. Subsutural flexure very deep, moderately curved, strongly asymmetrical (Fig. 40G). Shoulder smooth, with maximum diameter at shoulder. Aperture narrow, curved. Last whorl conical, straight to concave, narrowing slightly at centre of last whorl. Deeply carved growth lines on last whorl. Aperture not straight, wavy. Fasciole very small, to indistinct (1).

Description of colour pattern

Shell surface partly damaged (Fig. 13). The visible colour pattern consists of wide, axial flammulae on the spire whorls, that continue axially as ribbons on the body of the shell. The ribbons are connected with irregular fluorescent blotches (1).

Etymology

Name taken after Agnčs Lauriat-Rage who was responsible of the Action spécifique du Muséum project (1989–1990) (1).

 

Remarks

This species is quite unusual in morphology, being very large with a semi-circular spire outline species of Conus (Lautoconus) with a similar morphology occur today, such as Conus (Lautoconus) regonae Rolán & Trovăo in Rolán, 1990 (see Tenorio et al. 2020: fig. 6d). Therefore, we are confident in assigning it to this subgenus. Other than the Cretan specimen, another specimen called Conus (Lautoconus) sp. (HNHM INV 2013.291; Kovács & Vicián 2013) has also been found in the Paratethys from the Pannonian Basin at Letkés, Hungary, and for us it could belong to the same species. Its colour pattern is not comparable to any of the Conidae studied herein. Despite not having at least three shells of this species found so far (Hendricks 2015), due to the unique morphology of this species we name it Conus (Lautoconus) lauriatragei sp. nov  (1).

 

Stratigraphic range

Langhian of Hungary (Pannonian Basin, Kovács & Vicián 2013) and Tortonian of Greece (Heraklion Basin, Crete) (1).

 

 

 

Fig. 13. Conus (Lautoconus) lauriatragei sp. nov (1)

 

 specimen MNHN.F.A83014 from the late Miocene of Tylissos, Crete (Greece)

in apertural, abapertural and apical views, under natural (A2, A4) and UV light.

 

Scale bar = 1 cm.

 

Lautoconus sp. (2)

HNHM INV 2013.291

Miocene

Letkes, Hungary

mm. 51 x 33

 

 

 


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