Notes

A series of shorter papers on various subjects was started in 1998, predominantly in 'Basteria', the periodical of the Dutch Malacological Society. The general title of these papers is 'Notes on the systematics, morphology and biostratigraphy of fossil holoplanktonic Mollusca'. Pdf-files of these papers are available on request (ariewjanssen@waldonet.net.mt). Abstracts are given here:

1. Holoplanktonic molluscs from the Miocene of Wadi Gharandel, Western Sinai (Egypt), revised. -- Basteria, 62: 193-196, 1998.

Two pteropod and one alleged heteropod species preserved in a limestone slab from the Miocene of Wadi Gharandel, western Sinai, Egypt, are revised and shown to represent three pteropod species, viz. Limacina sp. [either L. inflata (d'Orbigny, 1836) or L. tertiaria (Tate, 1887)], Vaginella austriaca Kittl, 1886 and V. lapugyensis Kittl, 1886. The probable age of the so-called 'Miocene Grits' from which the slab was collected, as based on the pteropods, is Langhian to Early Serravallian (Middle Miocene).

2. Edithinella curva sp. nov. from the Bockup Sandstone (Miocene, Reinbekian) of Wanzeberg near Ludwigslust (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany). -- Basteria, 62: 241-244, 1 fig., 1998.

Edithinella curva sp. nov. (Mollusca: Gastropoda, Euthecosomata, Cavoliniidae) is described from the Middle Miocene (Reinbekian) 'Bockup Sandstone', occurring in fluvio-glacial deposits at Karenz (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany), as reworked boulders of local origin.

3. Revision of M.-L. Tembrock's (1989) pteropod taxa. -- Basteria, 63: 1-10, 17 figs., 1999.

Nine euthecosomatous gastropod taxa erected by M.L. Tembrock (1989) are revised, seven of which are either unrecognisable or junior synonyms of other species. Two taxa, Spiratella flandrica and S. lotschi, are accepted as valid. New illustrations of the type specimens, whenever available, are presented.

4. A collection of euthecosomatous pteropods from the Miocene of the Karaman Basin, Turkey. -- Basteria, 63: 11-15, 4 figs., 1999.

Euthecosomatous gastropods are recorded from eight localities in the Karaman Basin (Turkey, provinces of Konya and Mersin). Seven of these samples, all from localities close to Karaman, together yielded a total of six pteropod species, allowing an age assignment of (Middle-Late) Serravallian. One sample, from a locality near Mut, c. 70 km SSE of Karaman, is demonstrated to be of Langhian-Early Serravallian age. Diacrolinia larandaensis sp. nov. is erected.

5. Cuvierina jagti Janssen, 1995: a junior synonym of Dentalium (Gadilina) ludbrooki Caprotti, 1962 . -- Basteria, 63: 109-110, 1999

The pteropod species Cuvierina jagti Janssen, 1995 was first described from Late Miocene deposits of northern Italy. It has subsequently turned out that the same species had been described previously as a scaphopod, under the name of Dentalium (Gadilina) ludbrooki Caprotti, 1962. This makes Cuvierina jagti a junior subjective synonym of Cuvierina ludbrooki (Caprotti, 1962). The whereabouts of the type specimen of this latter taxon are unknown.

6. Biostratigraphical interpretation of an assemblage from Poggio Musenna (Sicily, Italy) in comparison to northern Italian and Maltese localities. -- Basteria, 63: 111-120, 1999.

Miocene holoplanktonic Mollusca from the Tellaro Formation at Poggio Musenna (SE Sicily, Italy) are compared with assemblages from the Blue Clay Formation in the Maltese Archipelago and from Tetti Borelli (N. Italy, province  of Asti). Similarities in benthic assemblages of the Tellaro and Blue Clay formations are merely the result of identical depositional environments and do not indicate the same age. The Tellaro Formation was analysed for nannoplankton and found to belong to zone NN10 (Middle Tortonian). The S. Agata Fossili Formation (Montaldo Member) of Tetti Borelli may be dated as Early to Middle Tortonian, as indicated by the nannoplankton and holoplanktonic molluscan assemblages. In contrast, the Maltese Blue Clay Formation is of Serravallian  age.  In Malta pteropods of Tortonian age are found reworked in the Messinian Green Sand Formation.

7. Clio lucai spec. nov. from the Plio/Pleistocene of northern Italy, with notes on evolutionary lineages of the genus Clio. -- Basteria, 64: 35-45, 2000.

Clio lucai sp. nov. is described from Early Pleistocene deposits in northern Italy. The new taxon is compared with related species, for most of which the subgenus Balantium may be revived. Characteristics of other Clio (Balantium) species, known from modern faunas as well as from the fossil record, are compared. Most features, however, develop independant of time and seem to be controlled mainly by ecological factors, thus offering little possibilities for the construction of an evolutionary lineage. Some ideas on a further subdivision of the genus Clio s.lat. are added.

8.  Cavolinia grandis (Bellardi, 1873) from the Early Pliocene of New Zealand, a further example of long-distance correlation by means of pteropods. -- Basteria, 64: 45-47, 2000.

A large species of Cavolinia from the Early Pliocene of New Zealand has been found  to be assignable to C. grandis (Bellardi, 1873), originally described from the Zanclean of northern Italy. The same species is also known from Japan,  and thus constitutes a 'first order long-distance correlation tool'.

9. Apertural reinforcements in Limacina atypica (Laws, 1944) from the Miocene of New Zealand. -- Basteria, 64: 47-50, 2000.

A paratype of Limacina ferax (Laws, 1944) in the collection of the Geology Department (Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand) has now proved to be assignable to Limacina atypica (Laws, 1944), described from the same locality and stratigraphic level. The internal mould of the specimen demonstrates a clear margin-parallel constriction shortly behind the aperture, thus demonstrating the presence of apertural reinforcements in this species, which was hitherto believed to have a simple apertural margin.

10. (together with Irene Zorn) Clio (Balantium) collina sp. nov., for 'Clio sp. ? an C. lavayssei' non Rutsch, 1934 (Miocene, Italy). -- Basteria, 65: 47-50, 2 figs, 2001.

Clio collina sp. nov. is introduced for specimens from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian) of the Turin Hills in northern Italy. These were formerly identified as Clio pedemontana (non Mayer, 1868) or 'Clio sp. ? an C. lavayssei' (non Rutsch, 1934). 

11. (together with Irene Zorn) Limacina Bosc, 1817: precendence over Spiratella Blainville, 1817 (Mollusca, Gastropoda: Euthecosomata. -- Basteria, 65: 147-149, 2001.

Spiratella Bosc, 1817 should be considered a junior objective synonym of Limacina Blainville, 1817. 

12. (together with Karl Gürs) On the identity of Hyalea perovalis von Koenen, 1882 (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Euthecosomata) from the Early Miocene of the North Sea Basin. -- Basteria, 66: 143-148, 4 figs., 2002.

New specimens of the extremely rare cavoliniid pteropod 'Hyalea perovalis' von Koenen, 1882, the syntypes of which are lost, are recorded and illustrated from a boulder of Holsteiner Gestein (Early Miocene) of Nehmten, Schleswig-Holstein (Germany). Hyalea perovalis is here considered to be a junior synonym of Diacrolinia aquensis (Grateloup, 1827), known from the Early Burdigalian of the Aquitaine Basin, France. The occurrence of this species in the 'Holsteiner Gestein' supports the correlation of the Late Vierlandian of the regional North Sea Basin stages with the Early Burdigalian of the international chronostratigraphy.

13. Considerations on a subdivision of Thecosomata, with the emphasis on genus group classification of Limacinidae. -- Cainozoic Research, 2(1-2): 163-170, 2003.

The families Limacinidae, Cavoliniidae and Peraclididae (Gastropoda, Thecosomata) are raised in rank to Limacinoidea, Cavolinioidea and Peraclidoidea, respectively, and currently recognised subfamilies of the Cavoliniidae are given full familial status, viz. Creseidae, Cuvierinidae, Clioidae and Cavoliniidae. A preliminary genus group classification of the Limacinidae is proposed, mainly on morphological shell features; a new genus, Currylimacina n. gen., is introduced.

14. A new Vaginella species (Gastropoda, Euthecosomata, Cavoliniidae) from the Late Oligocene of the North Sea Basin and its bearing on the biostratigraphy of the Chattian. -- Basteria, 69: 73-80, 4 tabs., 2 figs., 2005.

The new pteropod species Vaginella basitruncata is introduced from the Late Oligocene (Chattian A) so-called 'Kasseler Meeressand' in Germany (Hessen). It is the first species of this genus occurring in the North Sea Basin, characterised by shedding of the larval shell, absence of a preapertural constriction and apertural folds, and a straight ventral apertural margin. Some notes are given on the biostratigraphical implication of pteropod distributions during the Late Oligocene within the North Sea Basin., leading to the conclusion that the "Kasseler Meeressand' has to be correlated with the basal part of the Grafenberg Sands in the Lower Rhine area. A subdivision of pteropod zone 16 into three subzones covering the Eochattian appeared to be possible. The so-called 'Sternberger Gestein' correlates with the middle and later part of the Eochattian (Chattian A/B, pteropode zones 16b-c).

15. Description of Edithinella doliarius sp. n. (Gastropoda, Euthecosomata), from the Miocene (Langhian) of the Maltese archipelago. – Basteria, supplement 3: 45-48, 1 fig., 2006.

The pteropod species Edithinella doliarius sp. n. is introduced from the lower portion of the Upper Globigerina Limestone Formation, inclusive of its basal part, the Main Phosphorite Layer C 2, of the Maltese Archipelago (Miocene, Langhian).

16. Some further notes and amendments on Cuvierinidae and on Euthecosomata classification. – Basteria, 70(1-3): 67-70, 2006.

Some critical remarks on my recently published paper on the development of Cuvierinidae (Basteria, 69, 2005) are discussed. A replacement name Urceolarica nom. nov. is introduced for the preoccupied name Urceolaria Janssen, 2005, non Lamarck, 1801 nec Stein, 1867. Authorship of some familygroup names is corrected and the Thecosomata systematics are revised.

17. On the status of some pteropods (Mollusca, Euthecosomata) referred to as Vaginella species, from the Miocene of New Zealand. -- Basteria, 70(1-3): 71-83, 2006.

A study of type material of four pteropod species (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Euthecosomata) described from the Miocene of New Zealand, originally or subsequently assigned to the genus Vaginella, allowed to reconsider their actual status: Vaginella aucklandica Clarke, 1905 is now considered to belong in the genus Ireneia. Clio (Creseis) urenuiensis Suter, 1917 and V. inflata Hayward, 1981 are junior subjective synonyms of Ireneia calandrellii (Michelotti, 1847) and Vaginella depressa Daudin, 1800, respectively. V. torpedo Marshall, 1918 is reassigned to Cuvierina (Cuvierina). Additional samples identified Vaginella aucklandica are now considered to belong to Ireneia calandrellii and I. nieulandei Janssen, 1995.

The presence of several Ireneia species in the New Zealand area during the Early Miocene supports the hypothesis that the genus Cuvierina developed from an Ireneia root around the Oligocene/ Miocene transition.

A development from Vaginella depressa into V. austriaca Kittl, 1886, during the Late Burdigalian, took only place in the Atlantic and Mediterranean realms. Closure of the Tethyan Seaway apparently prevented this in the Pacific Basin, where V. depressa continues until the Serravallian.

18. On the actual status of Cuvierina (Cuvierina) ludbrooki and C. (C.) jagti (Mollusca, Euthecosomata). – Basteria, 70(1-3): 85-88, 2006.

Rediscovery of the holotype of Pliocene Cuvierina ludbrooki (Caprotti, 1962), described as a scaphopod, leads to the conclusion that it is specifically different from the Late Miocene C. jagti Janssen, 1995 by complete absence of longitudinal micro-ornament. The relations between C. astesana (Rang, 1829), C. ludbrooki and C. tubulata Collins, 1934 are studied by means of the height/width-ratios and it is concluded that C. astesana and C. ludbrooki are separate species, whereas C. tubulata is considered to fall within the range of variability of C. astesana.

19. (together with Kai Ingemann Schnetler and Claus Heilmann-Clausen) Pteropods (Gastropoda, Euthecosomata) from the Eocene Lillebaelt Clay Formation (Denmark, Jylland) – Basteria, 71: 157.

Sideritic fossiliferous concretions from the Eocene Lillebaelt Clay Formation, collected ex situ on the beach at Trelde Næs (Jutland, Denmark) were found to yield two common pteropod species: Heliconoides lillebaeltensis sp. nov. and H. mercinensis (Watelet & Lefèvre, 1885), the latter known to date from a Late Palaeocene-Ypresian interval. A single further specimen might represent the species Limacina pygmaea (Lamarck, 1805), known only from the Lutetian. A study of the dinoflagellate assemblages in two of the concretions allowed an age assignment of Early Lutetian.

20. A new pteropod genus and species, Hameconia edmundi gen. nov. spec. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Sphaerocinidae), from the Late Oligocene of SW France. – Basteria (submitted April 2008).

A new pteropod genus, Hameconia, and a new species, H. edmundi, are introduced from Late Oligocene (Chattian) sediments of the Saubrigues palaeo-canyon in the Aquitaine Basin, SW France.