Non-technical Summary
Natural history museums house numerous previously undescribed species and unknown information hidden in their collections. We describe lower Carboniferous slit-bearing gastropods (Pleurotomariida and Goniasmatidae) from previously unreported gastropod collections made by Jane Longstaff (Jane Donald), one of the pioneering paleontologists of Paleozoic gastropods in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The gastropods were collected from an old quarry near Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland. The collection consists largely of microgastropods, many of which are unusually well preserved including delicate ornament and larval shells. The collection yields ten species, three of them representing new species. The new data on earliest whorls and other shell features such as the selenizone (the shell region formed by the closure of the shell slit) improved the classification. The new findings confirm that the genus Neilsonia belongs to Pleurotomariida and is distinct from the morphologically convergent Peruvispira (Goniasmatidae). The similarities between Biarmeaspira and Baylea support previous opinions that they are closely related. Furthermore, the collection yields the oldest record of Biarmeaspira, which was previously known only from the Permian. The angulated selenizone (as in Biarmeaspira) evidently evolved several times in Pleurotomariida and the repeated appearance of this character in different groups needs further studies using phylogenetic methods.
Introduction
Jane Longstaff (née Mary Jane Donald) was one of the pioneering specialists on Paleozoic gastropods of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Creese and Creese, Reference Creese and Creese1994; Wyse Jackson and Spencer Jones, Reference Wyse Jackson and Spencer Jones2007). She is best known for her work on Carboniferous gastropods, especially on Murchisoniidae (Donald, Reference Donald1889, Reference Donald1899, Reference Donald1902, Reference Donald1906; Longstaff, Reference Longstaff1926), Loxonematidae (Donald, Reference Donald1905a, Reference Donaldb; Longstaff, Reference Longstaff1909, Reference Longstaff1933), Zygopleuridae, and Pleurotomariida (Longstaff, Reference Longstaff1912), but also for her taxonomic work on Elizabeth Gray's lower Paleozoic gastropod collection (Longstaff, Reference Longstaff1924; Cleevely et al., Reference Cleevely, Tripp and Howells1989). Upon her death in 1935, her collections were donated by her nephew M. H. Donald to The Natural History Museum (Cox, Reference Cox1936). The Longstaff collection from Dalry in The Natural History Museum was noticed during a study on slit-band gastropods (order Pleurotomariida) in the museum's collections. The Longstaff collection studied herein was found in three separate glass vials, each containing dozens of specimens, which had been taxonomically sorted and placed in different drawers according to their systematics.
An early study of the fossiliferous Carboniferous deposits near Dalry (Glencart, Upper Limestone Formation, Namurian) reported an exquisitely preserved, moderately diverse benthic fauna including sponges, bivalves, brachiopods, and gastropods (Young, Reference Young1884). Carboniferous gastropods from Dalry (at Glencart and Law) are quite remarkable in composing mainly of small-sized individuals. With their creamy white color, they look more like shells of younger, ‘Tertiary’ strata (Young, Reference Young1884; Donald, Reference Donald1898). High-spired gastropod taxa including Zygopleuridae and slit-bearing Murchisoniidae (some now classified as Goniasmatidae) were described in a series of papers by Donald (Reference Donald1889, Reference Donald1898; Longstaff, Reference Longstaff1917, Reference Longstaff1926, Reference Longstaff1933) from the Upper Limestone Formation at Dalry. Some bellerophontids from this site were figured by Weir (Reference Weir1931). Low-spired slit-band gastropods (order Pleurotomariida) from the Upper Limestone Formation at Dalry were previously mentioned (Young, Reference Young1884) but only a single taxon, Baylea parva (Thomas, Reference Thomas1940), was described in detail (Thomas, Reference Thomas1940). Although several murchisoniids from the Lower Limestone Formation (Visean) at Dalry (Law Quarry) were described (Donald, Reference Donald1892, Reference Donald1895, Reference Donald1898), low-spired slit-band gastropods (order Pleurotomariida) have not been reported. The aim of the present paper is to describe slit-bearing gastropod taxa (Pleurotomariida and Goniasmatidae) in the Longstaff collection from the Visean (lower Carboniferous) of Dalry that have not been studied in detail so far.
The earliest paleontological studies on the Carboniferous slit-bearing gastropods from the United Kingdom were conducted by Phillips (Reference Phillips1836, Reference Phillips1841). These early works were followed by comprehensive studies on Carboniferous Goniasmatidae and Murchisonioidea from Ireland, Scotland, and England by Longstaff (Donald, Reference Donald1885, Reference Donald1887, Reference Donald1889, Reference Donald1892, Reference Donald1895, Reference Donald1898; Longstaff, Reference Longstaff1912, Reference Longstaff1917, Reference Longstaff1926, Reference Longstaff1933) and Pleurotomariida from Scotland by Thomas (Reference Thomas1940). Batten (Reference Batten1966a, Reference Battenb) described a diverse gastropod fauna from the Visean Hotwells Limestone of Somerset (England), which yielded 98 species, 46 of which belonged to the slit-bearing groups. The most recent work on British Carboniferous gastropods was done by Peel (Reference Peel2016), who described a slightly younger (Namurian) gastropod fauna from Cheshire (England) also yielding a substantial proportion of slit-bearing groups (10 of 27 species; Peel, Reference Peel2016). Pleurotomariida and Goniasmatidae were also major groups in other Carboniferous gastropod faunas (e.g., Belgium: de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883; Russia: Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2001, Reference Mazaev2002, Reference Mazaev2011; Germany: Amler, Reference Amler2006; Australia: Yoo, Reference Yoo1988, Reference Yoo1994; Morocco: Heidelberger et al., Reference Heidelberger, Korn and Ebbighausen2009; United States: Thein and Nitecki, Reference Thein and Nitecki1974; Batten, Reference Batten1995; Hoare et al., Reference Hoare, Sturgeon and Anderson1997; Kues and Batten, Reference Kues and Batten2001; Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022). Herein, we discuss the relationship of the studied slit-bearing gastropod fauna from Dalry to other lower Carboniferous faunas.
Material and methods
The material was collected by Jane Longstaff (Jane Donald) from the Blackhall Limestone Member of the Lower Limestone Formation at Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland. Etheridge (Reference Etheridge1881, p. 25) noted that “Law Quarry is situated on the Cubeside farm, about 2 miles north-west of Dalry [Ayrshire], and only a few hundred feet from the edge of the great mass of bedded traps [now the Clyde Plateau Volcanic Formation] which stretch from Dalry to Largs.” Cubeside Farm is at 55.71994°N, −4.75926°W and Law Hill is a short distance to the east southeast (Fig. 1.2).
Figure 1. (1) Map of the United Kingdom and Ireland. (2) Detail of the map, with the location of the collection near Dalry denoted by a gastropod figure. (3) Stratigraphic table of the rock units near Dalry (modified from Monro, Reference Monro1999); the studied specimens come from the Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
This former quarry exposed the Trearne facies (Richey, Reference Richey1947) of the Blackhall Limestone Member (formerly known in Ayrshire as the Dockra Limestone), Lower Limestone Formation (formerly Lower Limestone Series) of the Clackmannan Group. This member is assigned to the Brigantian substage of the Visean (Monro, Reference Monro1999; Waters et al., Reference Waters, Browne, Dean and Powell2007). The stratigraphic position of the Lower Limestone Formation is given in Figure 1. Etheridge (Reference Etheridge1881, p. 25) described the limestone, which he identified as the Hurlet Limestone, a correlation not accepted now (Monro, Reference Monro1999), at this site as “12 feet or so in thickness.” A revised isopachyte map of the Trearne facies of the Irvine district was given by Monro (Reference Monro1999, fig. 13). The Trearne facies (Richey, Reference Richey1947) forms an oval west-east oriented carbonate shoal within the widespread and otherwise more argillaceous Lugton carbonate facies, although it was only elevated 1–2 m above the latter sediments and was perhaps partly formed by the baffling action of dense crinoid stands with frequent coral thickets (Siphonodendron McCoy, Reference McCoy1849) preventing ingress of terrigenous sediment (Brown, Reference Brown1977; Monro, Reference Monro1999). The Blackhall Limestone was deposited during a marine transgression and is apparently the most fossiliferous of the Visean limestones of the surrounding area, with a highly diverse fauna consisting of chaetetid sponges, corals, brachiopods, fenestellid and trepostome bryozoans, crinoid stems, the echinoid Archaeocidaris McCoy, Reference McCoy1844, infaunal and epifaunal bivalves, gastropods, and occasional trilobites as well as fish scales and teeth (Monro, Reference Monro1999, table 13).
Donald (Reference Donald1898, p. 47) stated that “the shells from Law … were obtained from fissures and partings in limestone and shales, where the rock had become rotten in situ through the percolation of surface-water in recent times.” Etheridge (Reference Etheridge1881, p. 25) reported that the limestone “is very hard and compact where solid and unweathered. The bed is highly charged with siliceous matter, as a large percentage of the contained fossils have been changed into some form of silica.” Referring to small gastropods, he noted that “The fossils are obtained by washing the disintegrated material found in ledges of the quarry-face and in fissures and pockets made by the natural jointing of the rock.” The other lower Carboniferous outcrop at Glencart (55.7097°N, -4.675°W) near Dalry yields similar white-creamy colored fossils that were also recovered from argillaceous and limestone deposits (Young, Reference Young1884; Donald, Reference Donald1898), but these belong to the Upper Limestone Formation (Namurian). The gastropod shells are recrystallized, and testing with dilute acetic acid indicates that they are silicified.
Specimens were photographed with a digital microscope camera after coating them with ammonium chloride (if not stated otherwise). Some specimens were coated with gold for SEM photography.
The higher classification of taxa follows the latest published consensus on gastropod classification (Bouchet et al., Reference Bouchet, Rocroi, Hausdorf, Kaim, Kano, Nützel, Parkhaev, Schrödl and Strong2017) and modifications to it (Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022). Terms used in the descriptions follows the terminology given by Cox (Reference Cox and Moore1960a). Abbreviations used in descriptions are: L, length; W, width.
Repository and institutional abbreviation
All specimens are stored in The Natural History Museum, London, England (NHMUK).
Systematic paleontology
Class Gastropoda Cuvier, Reference Cuvier1795
Subclass Vetigastropoda Salvini-Plawen, Reference Salvini-Plawen1980
Order Pleurotomariida Cox and Knight, Reference Knight, Cox, Keen, Batten, Yochelson, Robertson and Moore1960
Superfamily Eotomarioidea Wenz, Reference Wenz and Schindewolf1938
Family Eotomariidae Wenz, Reference Wenz and Schindewolf1938
Genus Biarmeaspira Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2006
Type species
Biarmeaspira verideclinata Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2006; by original designation.
Remarks
Mazaev (Reference Mazaev2006) erected the genus Biarmeaspira for taxa similar to Baylea de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883 that share a similar early ontogenetic shell, surface ornamentation (dominant spiral ornament), growth line on ramp (opisthocyrt subsuturally then prosocyrt), and whorl profile but with an angulated selenizone (Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2006, Reference Mazaev2015, Reference Mazaev2016, Reference Mazaev2017; Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022). The Biarmeaspira spp. from the Permian of Russia more closely resemble Baylea spp. deposited in the same basins (Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2006, Reference Mazaev2015, Reference Mazaev2016, Reference Mazaev2017) than Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae new species. With its surface ornament, Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae n. sp. has a close affinity to the Carboniferous species Baylea yvanii Léveillé, 1835 (the type species of Baylea; Kase, Reference Kase1988, fig. 3.1, 3.6–3.9; Lindström and Peel, Reference Lindström and Peel2005, fig. 1A) and especially to Baylea leveillei de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883 (Fig. 2; Amler, Reference Amler2006, fig. 1i, j). Baylea leveillei might have given rise to Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae n. sp. There is a possibility that different Baylea lineages gave rise to an angulated selenizone multiple times during their evolutionary history.
Figure 2. Baylea leveillei de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883, Tournaisian, Tournai, Belgium, NHMUK PI G 18629.
The early ontogenetic development of the type species, Biarmeaspira verideclinata, was well documented (Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2006, pl. 4). Similar to Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae n. sp., Biarmeaspira verideclinata has a concave selenizone in early ontogeny, the abapical edge of the selenizone represents the whorl angulation, and it develops an angulation within the selenizone in later ontogenetic stages. However, the Biarmeaspira spp. later included by Mazaev (Reference Mazaev2015), e.g., Biarmeaspira striata Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2015, develop a whorl angulation before the appearance of the selenizone, and the selenizone appears on the whorl angulation, hence these species have an angulated selenizone from its first appearance onward. These Biarmeaspira spp. (Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2015) are distinctly different from Baylea spp. in their early ontogenetic development and resemble the early ontogenetic development of Lineacingulum Karapunar and Nützel, Reference Karapunar and Nützel2021, Sisenna Koken, Reference Koken1896, and Nodocingulum Karapunar and Nützel, Reference Karapunar and Nützel2021 (see Karapunar and Nützel, Reference Karapunar and Nützel2021 for early ontogenetic development of these genera). Hence, Biarmeaspira might be polyphyletic in its current composition.
Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae new species
Figures 3, 4
Figure 3. Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae n. sp., Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean). (1–6) Holotype, NHMUK PI PG 10235. (7–10) Paratype, NHMUK PI PG 10236. (11, 12) Fragment of the largest specimen in the collection, NHMUK PI PG 10241.
Figure 4. Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae n. sp., Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean), paratypes. (1–3) NHMUK PI PG 10237. (4) NHMUK PI PG 10239. (5–8) NHMUK PI PG 10238.
Holotype
NHMUK PI PG 10235; Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Paratypes
Four paratypes, NHMUK PI PG 10236–10239; Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Diagnosis
Shell small to medium in size, wortheniform, with gradate profile, with smooth, low-spired early whorls. Pleural angle 90–95°. Later whorls ornamented with spiral cords of various strength; number of cords increasing gradually through ontogeny. Selenizone appearing on third whorl, high on whorl face. Selenizone concave in early ontogeny, developing a median cord, which turns into whorl angulation in later ontogeny. Ramp gently sloping, with almost horizontal subsutural shoulder; ramp concave between subsutural shoulder and selenizone. Lower whorl face slightly concave, subparallel to axis. Transition to base rounded. Base convex, narrowly phaneromphalous, ornamented with spiral cords.
Occurrence
Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Description
Shell small to medium in size, approximately as high as wide (holotype H: 6.8 mm, W: 6.5 mm), wortheniform, with gradate profile; holotype with six whorls; largest fragment suggests that it could reach eight whorls (Fig. 3). First whorl W: 0.26 mm. First one and one-half whorls smooth, convex, very low-spired, trochospirally coiled. Second and third whorls convex, ornamented with up to six spiral cords of approximately equal strength. Selenizone appears on third whorl, high on whorl face. Whorl face of later whorls ornamented with spiral cords of various strengths; number of cords gradually increasing through ontogeny, with new spiral cords appearing weak between the lowermost cord on ramp and selenizone, gradually increasing in strength. Interspace between spiral cords wide, concave. Sixth whorl of holotype with two strong and one weaker spiral cord each, on ramp and on lateral whorl face. The largest fragment (of likely the seventh whorl) with three strong and one weak spiral cord on ramp and on lateral whorl face. Ramp gently sloping, almost horizontal at subsutural shoulder, which is formed by the adapical strong spiral cord, concave between subsutural shoulder and selenizone. Selenizone concave on early whorls, inclining, situated on whorl angulation, bordered by two strong spiral cords. Selenizone with distinct median spiral cord on later whorls, which turns into an angulation. Lower whorl face slightly concave, subparallel to axis, ornamented like upper whorl face, with suture situated on the lowermost spiral cord of lateral whorl face. Transition to base rounded. Base convex, narrowly phaneromphalous, ornamented with spiral cords, which decrease in strength toward umbilicus. Outer lip angulated; basal and inner lip convex.
Etymology
Named after paleontologist Doris Heidelberger, for her work on Devonian gastropods.
Other material
19 specimens, some fragmentary, NHMUK PI PG 419(1–17), PI PG 10240, PI PG 10241 [shell fragment]; Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
LSID
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:984272B9-9554-49F8-BB4F-A0914EF6BF33.
Remarks
The present species closely resembles Baylea yvanii and Baylea leveillei in whorl ornamentation. Baylea yvanii is distinctly higher spired, with more spiral cords and without a median cord on its selenizone (Lindström and Peel, Reference Lindström and Peel2005, fig. 1A). Baylea leveillei differs in having more spiral cords, both in early and late ontogeny, and the median cord on its selenizone does not turn into an angulation in late ontogeny (Fig. 2). Baylea parva (Thomas, Reference Thomas1940) from the Upper Limestone Formation (Namurian) at Dalry is higher spired with more convex early whorls and a more inclined ramp.
Subfamily Neilsoniinae Knight, Reference Knight1956
Genus Neilsonia Thomas, Reference Thomas1940
Type species
Neilsonia roscobiensis Thomas, Reference Thomas1940; by original designation.
Remarks
Neilsonia and Peruvispira Chronic, Reference Chronic, Newell, Chronic and Roberts1949 were considered to be closely related taxa and placed within Neilsoniinae (Knight et al., Reference Knight, Cox, Keen, Batten, Yochelson, Robertson and Moore1960). Neilsonia was differentiated from Peruvispira by having a distinct axial ornament toward the adapical suture forming subsutural nodes (e.g., Knight et al., Reference Knight, Cox, Keen, Batten, Yochelson, Robertson and Moore1960). As previously discussed by Karapunar et al. (Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022), similar ornamentation can be seen in members of Peruvispira (e.g., Peruvispira oklahomaensis Karapunar and Nützel in Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022). Accordingly, the only distinction between the two genera is the relatively lower position of the selenizone in Neilsonia. Additionally, the lunulae are much more widely spaced and stronger in Neilsonia compared to the closely spaced fine lunulae of Peruvispira. Karapunar et al. (Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022) documented a protoconch reflecting planktotrophic larval development in Peruvispira and removed Peruvispira from the vetigastropod subfamily Neilsoniinae and placed it in the caenogastropod family Goniasmatidae. The protoconch-teleoconch boundary of Neilsonia seussae new species is not well demarked nor can be obscured by preservation but Neilsonia seussae n. sp. has a larger initial whorl (0.28 mm) similar to nonplanktotrophic pleurotomariids (e.g., 0.33–0.36 mm: Worthenia tabulata Conrad, Reference Conrad1835; 0.28 mm: Paragoniozona yanceyi Karapunar and Nützel in Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022) and unlike the goniasmatid Peruvispira (first whorl diameter 0.19 mm: Peruvispira oklahomaensis; 0.15 mm: Peruvispira sp. of Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022). The large initial whorl supports the placement of Neilsonia within Pleurotomariida.
Neilsonia seussae new species
Figures 5, 6
Figure 5. Neilsonia seussae n. sp., Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean). (1–6) Holotype, NHMUK PI PG 10242. (7–11) Paratype, NHMUK PI PG 10243.
Figure 6. Neilsonia seussae n. sp., Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean), paratypes. (1, 2) NHMUK PI PG 10244. (3, 4) NHMUK PI PG 10245. (5) NHMUK PI PG 10247. (6) NHMUK PI PG 10246.
Holotype
NHMUK PI PG 10242; Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Paratypes
Five paratypes, NHMUK PI PG 10243–10247; Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Diagnosis
Shell small, conical, higher than wide. Pleural angle 50–60°. First two whorls rounded, smooth, low-trochospirally coiled. Selenizone appearing at midwhorl, shifting toward abapical suture on later whorls. Whorl face convex on early whorls and flat on later whorls. Whorl face above selenizone slightly convex to flat, steeply inclining, ornamented with equally and widely spaced prosocline/prosocyrt axial ribs; ribs strongly curving backward near selenizone. Selenizone concave, broad (one-quarter of whorl face), steeply inclining, situated low on whorl face somewhat above suture, with equally spaced lunulae. Lower whorl face narrow, concave, with fine axial riblets. Transition to base with angulation. Suture incised. Base flat, narrowly phaneromphalous, with sinuous radial riblets. Aperture subquadrate.
Occurrence
Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Description
Shell small, conical, higher than wide (holotype H: 4.4 mm, W: 3.7 mm), up to seven whorls; initial whorl W: 0.28 mm. First two whorls rounded, smooth, low-trochospirally coiled; two spiral cords appearing within third whorl, representing selenizone borders. Selenizone situated at midwhorl when it first appears, shifting toward abapical suture on later whorls. Whorl face convex on early whorls and flat on later whorls. Whorl face above selenizone slightly convex to flat, steeply inclining, ornamented with equally and widely spaced prosocline/prosocyrt axial ribs; ribs strongly curving backward near selenizone. Selenizone borders projecting; lower border more protruding so that the selenizone is steeply inclining. Selenizone concave, broad (one-quarter of whorl face), situated low on whorl face somewhat above suture, with equally spaced lunulae. Lower whorl face (below selenizone) narrow, concave, with fine axial riblets. Transition to base with angulation. Suture incised; base flat, narrowly phaneromphalous, with sinuous radial riblets (strengthened growth lines), concave near periphery, convex near umbilicus. Aperture subquadrate, with flat outer lip, flat basal lip, and convex inner lip.
Etymology
Named after paleontologist Barbara Seuss, for her work on the Carboniferous faunas.
Other material
18 specimens, NHMUK PI PG 412(1–18), Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
LSID
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:97E2E5F2-9F4B-44E8-8B67-F93EF80D402A.
Remarks
Neilsonia seussae n. sp. closely resembles Neilsonia roscobiensis Thomas, Reference Thomas1940 and Neilsonia acuminata Thomas, Reference Thomas1940 in position of selenizone and ornamentation of whorls and selenizone. Neilsonia roscobiensis differs in having a convex whorl face throughout ontogeny, its axial ribs fading toward the selenizone, and its selenizone being almost parallel to the axis. Neilsonia acuminata has a similarly flat whorl face but differs in the orientation of its selenizone, which faces abapically, and its adapical selenizone border represents the whorl periphery. Pleurotomaria galaeottiana de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1844 (p. 396, pl. 35, fig. 3) from the Visean of Belgium resembles Neilsonia seussae n. sp. in shell and whorl morphology, ornamentation, and position of the selenizone but its selenizone is narrower according to the illustrations. The type material of Pleurotomaria galaeottiana needs better documentation.
As mentioned in the Remarks on Neilsonia, Neilsonia and Peruvispira were once considered closely related and the ornamentation pattern was used to differentiate the members of the taxa. Karapunar et al. (Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022) discussed the presence of similar ornamentation in the members of both genera and suggested using the relatively lower position of the selenizone in Neilsonia for differentiation. Therefore, they transferred many species previously regarded as Neilsonia to Peruvispira: Peruvispira coatesi (Peel, Reference Peel2016), Peruvispira ganneyica (Peel, Reference Peel2016), Peruvispira invisitata (Hoare, Sturgeon, and Anderson, Reference Hoare, Sturgeon and Anderson1997), and Peruvispira welleri (Thein and Nitecki, Reference Thein and Nitecki1974). In addition to their higher-positioned selenizone, these four taxa have fine and closely spaced lunulae (a character shared by the type species of Peruvispira). These taxa also further differ from Neilsonia seussae n. sp. in whorl profile and ornament pattern.
Family Phymatopleuridae Batten, Reference Batten1956
Genus Tapinotomaria Batten, Reference Batten1956
Type species
Tapinotomaria rugosa Batten, Reference Batten1956; by original designation.
Remarks
Due to the morphology and ornamentation of the whorl face, selenizone ornamentation, and position of the selenizone, Karapunar et al. (Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022, p. 38) placed Tapinotomaria in Phymatopleuridae. The early ontogeny of Tapinotomaria has been hitherto unknown. Tapinotomaria longstaffae new species has planispirally coiled early whorls. Its selenizone appears at midwhorl and shifts abapically during ontogeny. The position of selenizone on early whorls further corroborates the close relationship of Tapinotomaria to other phymatopleurids.
Tapinotomaria longstaffae new species
Figures 7, 8
Figure 7. Tapinotomaria longstaffae n. sp., Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean). (1–5) Holotype, NHMUK PI PG 10248. (6–9) Paratype, NHMUK PI PG 10249. (10–13) Paratype, NHMUK PI PG 10250.
Figure 8. Tapinotomaria longstaffae n. sp., Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean), paratypes. (1–5) NHMUK PI PG 10251. (6, 7) NHMUK PI PG 10252.
Holotype
NHMUK PI PG 10248; Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Paratypes
Six paratypes, NHMUK PI PG 10249–10254; Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Diagnosis
Shell small, conical. Pleural angle 45–55°. First two whorls rounded, smooth, planispirally coiled; later whorls with spiral cords; selenizone appears within third whorl, high on whorl face, quickly shifting abapically and positioned just above suture from fourth whorl onward. Ramp slightly convex on early whorls, becoming flat, steeply inclining on last whorl. Whorl face ornamented with three or four spiral cords and axial ribs, forming a reticulate pattern; axial ribs orthocline on adapical portion of whorl face where spiral cords are present; axial ribs becoming prosocline above selenizone. Adapical border of selenizone represents whorl angulation and periphery. Selenizone strongly concave, with a median cord on early teleoconch whorls, which disappears gradually; selenizone with widely spaced, sharp lunulae; lower border of selenizone representing an angulation and transition to base. Base slightly convex, phaneromphalous, ornamented with spiral cords and sinuous radial growth lines. Aperture subcircular.
Occurrence
Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Description
Shell small (holotype H: 3.2 mm, W: 2.9 mm), conical, with up to five and one-half whorls. Initial whorl W: 0.23 mm; first two whorls rounded, smooth, planispirally coiled, with only slightly elevated initial whorl; spiral cord appearing on midwhorl face at end of second whorl; additional spiral cords appearing at two and one-half whorls; selenizone appearing within third whorl, high on whorl face, quickly shifting abapically and positioned just above suture from fourth whorl onward. Ramp slightly convex on fourth whorl, flat, steeply inclining on last whorl, ornamented with three to four spiral cords and axial ribs, forming a reticulate pattern. Axial ribs orthocline on adapical portion of whorl face where spiral cords are present; axial ribs becoming prosocline above selenizone; adapical border of selenizone representing whorl angulation and periphery. Selenizone strongly concave, with median cord on early teleoconch whorls, which disappears gradually; selenizone with widely spaced, sharp lunulae; lower border of selenizone representing an angulation and transition to base. Base slightly convex, phaneromphalous, ornamented with spiral cords and sinuous radial growth lines, convex near periphery, concave near umbilicus. Aperture subcircular, with rounded outer lip, convex basal lip, and rounded inner lip.
Etymology
Named after paleontologist Mary Jane Longstaff (née Jane Donald), for her contributions to Paleozoic gastropod paleontology.
Other material
A total of 90 specimens, NHMUK PI PG 411(1–90), Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
LSID
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:45795250-8771-430C-A1D0-54BA389888EA.
Remarks
Among the members of Tapinotomaria, Tapinotomaria rugosa (figured by Batten, Reference Batten1958) and Tapinotomaria globosa Batten, Reference Batten1958 from the Permian of the USA resemble Tapinotomaria longstaffae n. sp. most closely in principal ornament. However, both taxa have one or more additional spiral cords on the ramp. The axial ribs of these Permian species are completely prosocline between the adapical suture and selenizone and thus lack an orthocline portion. The orthocline ribs on the upper whorl portion are a diagnostic feature of Tapinotomaria longstaffae n. sp., differentiating it from other known Tapinotomaria spp. Murchisonia sulcata McCoy, Reference McCoy1844 from the Carboniferous of Ireland resembles Tapinotomaria longstaffae n. sp. in the position of the selenizone and presence of spiral cords. However, growth lines and lunulae were not described for M. sulcata; hence, its generic identity is unclear and whether it is conspecific with Tapinotomaria longstaffae n. sp. cannot be evaluated.
Genus Borestus Thomas, Reference Thomas1940
Type species
Borestus wrighti Thomas, Reference Thomas1940; by original designation.
Borestus similis? (de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883)
Figure 9
- ?Reference de Koninck1883
Ptychomphalus similis de Koninck, p. 53, pl. 25, figs. 4–6.
- ?Reference de Koninck1883
Ptychomphalus suavis de Koninck, p. 57, pl. 30, figs. 39–42.
- Reference Batten1966a
Borestus similis; Batten, p. 49, pl. 5, fig. 18.
Figure 9. Borestus similis? (de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883) Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean), NHMUK PI PG 10255.
Holotype
According to Batten (Reference Batten1966a, p. 49) “in the de Koninck collection at the Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles, Brussels,” type locality Visé, Belgium, type age Visean.
Description
Shell small, wortheniform, with six whorls; spire gradate. Pleural angle 67°. Initial whorl W: 0.28 mm; first two whorls convex, smooth, low-trochospirally coiled; spiral cords appearing on third whorl. Ramp sloping at ~44°, slightly concave, with subsutural spiral cord and orthocline axial ribs, and nodes at intersections; faint second spiral cord below subsutural cord present on the last quarter of the last whorl; transition to lateral whorl face with pronounced median whorl angulation. Lateral whorl face slightly concave, parallel to shell axis, with selenizone situated at midheight, ornamented with prosocyrt axial ribs above and below selenizone. Selenizone flat, sunken, with regularly spaced sharp lunulae, bordered by two slightly projecting spiral cords. Transition to base with angulation. Base with reticulate ornament of radial riblets and spiral cords; radial riblets sinusoidal, opisthocyrt near angulation, prosocyrt near umbilicus; base anomphalous. Aperture subquadrate with straight inner lip, slightly convex basal lip, and angular outer lip.
Material
A total of three specimens, NHMUK PI PG 10255, PI PG 10256(1–2); Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Remarks
Borestus pagoda (Newell, Reference Newell1935) from the Pennsylvanian of the USA (Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022), Borestus procerus Thomas, Reference Thomas1940, and Borestus wrighti Thomas, Reference Thomas1940 from the Carboniferous of Scotland each have several spiral cords on the ramp whereas the present specimen has only one or two. Borestus magdalenensis Batten, Reference Batten1995 from the Pennsylvanian of the USA is similar in having a subsutural spiral cord but lacks conspicuous axial ribs. Borestus similis, as figured by Batten (Reference Batten1966a, pl. 5, fig. 18) has one subsutural cord on early whorls and develops a second one on later whorls. The present specimens at hand have a faint second spiral cord on the last quarter of the last whorl and are probably also juvenile and conspecific with the specimens assigned to Borestus similis by Batten (Reference Batten1966a). According to Batten (Reference Batten1966a), Borestus similis develops two to four spiral cords and Borestus suavis (de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883) and Borestus similis are synonyms. Original drawings of these two species suggest that both species have a more steeply inclining ramp and develop more prominent spiral cords, therefore, the identification of our material is tentative.
Subclass Caenogastropoda Cox, Reference Cox1960
Superfamily Orthonematoidea Nützel and Bandel, Reference Nützel and Bandel2000
Family Goniasmatidae Nützel and Bandel, Reference Nützel and Bandel2000
Genus Stegocoelia Donald, Reference Donald1889
Subgenus Stegocoelia Donald, Reference Donald1889
Type species
Murchisonia (Stegocoelia) compacta Donald, Reference Donald1889; by original designation.
Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) compacta (Donald, Reference Donald1889)
Figure 10
- *Reference Mazaev1889
Murchisonia (Stegocoelia) compacta Donald, p. 624, pl. 20, figs. 9–13.
- Reference Longstaff1926
Hypergonia compacta; Longstaff, p. 543, pl. 35, fig. 11.
- Reference Knight1941
Stegocoelia compacta; Knight, p. 334, pl. 44, fig. 6a–e.
- Reference Batten1966b
Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) compacta; Batten, p. 82, pl. 8, figs. 21, 22.
Figure 10. Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) compacta (Donald, Reference Donald1889). (1) Lectotype designated by Longstaff (Reference Longstaff1926) (original of Donald, Reference Donald1889, pl. 20, fig. 9; Knight, Reference Knight1941, pl. 44, fig. 6b), Glencart, Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Upper Limestone Group (Namurian), NHMUK PI PG 122. (2) Paralectotype (original of Knight, Reference Knight1941, pl. 44, fig. 6b), Glencart, Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Upper Limestone Group (Namurian), NHMUK PI PG 123. (3–5) NHMUK PI PG 10258, Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean). (6–9) NHMUK PI PG 10259, Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean).
Lectotype
NHMUK PI PG 122, lectotype (original of Donald, Reference Donald1889, pl. 20, fig. 9; Knight, Reference Knight1941, pl. 44, fig. 6b) subsequently designated by Longstaff (Reference Longstaff1926) and stored in NHMUK (Fig. 10A). Type locality Glencart, Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; type strata Upper Limestone Formation, type age Namurian. See Knight (Reference Knight1941) for further information on the types.
Paralectotypes
A total of four specimens, NHMUK PI PG 123, paralectotype (original of Knight, Reference Knight1941, pl. 44, fig. 6b); NHMUK PI PG 124–126, three paralectotypes from Upper Limestone Formation (Namurian), Glencart, Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Description
Shell high-spired, very small, cerithiform, with pleural angle of 40°. Early whorls including protoconch orthostrophic, smooth, convex, consisting of 1.5–2.0 whorls; initial whorl W: 0.24–0.28 mm; protoconch/teleoconch transition unclear, with spiral cords of teleoconch appearing on third whorl. Whorl face rounded, convex in profile. Teleoconch with five to six whorls; first teleoconch whorl with two spiral cords, later whorls ornamented with five spiral cords: one subsutural cord, two cords at selenizone borders that are situated above periphery, and two below selenizone; third and fourth cords are most prominent; lowermost cord (fifth) occasionally covered by subsequent whorl; third cord (abapical border of selenizone) representing the midwhorl of spire whorls. Base anomphalous (minutely phaneromphalous in early stages, see Knight, Reference Knight1941), slightly convex, facing abapically. Inner lip straight to slightly convex. Aperture subovate, slightly higher than wide.
Other material
Two specimens, PI PG 10258–10259, Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Remarks
Knight (Reference Knight1941) gave an exhaustive description and discussion of this species. The protoconch/teleoconch transition is unclear due to preservation. The relatively large diameter of the first whorl indicates non-planktotrophic larval development for this species (compare with the better preserved Stegocoelia species reported by Bandel et al. [Reference Bandel, Nützel and Yancey2002] from the Pennsylvanian Buckhorn Asphalt deposit from Oklahoma, USA).
Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) sp. A
Figure 11
Figure 11. Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) sp. A, Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean), NHMUK PI PG 10260.
Description
Shell high-spired, slender, small (~7 whorls, H: 2.7 mm, W:1.1 mm), with pleural angle of 20°. Protoconch orthostrophic, smooth, convex, consisting of one and one-half whorls, terminating abruptly; diameter of initial whorl 0.28 mm. Whorls convex in profile; teleoconch with six preserved whorls; first teleoconch whorl with two spiral cords, uppermost representing the abapical selenizone border in later ontogeny; whorl face ornamented with four distinct spiral cords from second whorl onward. Whorl face between adapical suture and selenizone short, slightly convex. Selenizone concave, situated between the uppermost two cords (first and second cords) high on whorl face; second and third cords most prominent, separated by concave interspace; third cord representing periphery; suture just below the fourth cord.
Material
A single specimen, NHMUK PI PG 10260, Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Remarks
Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) sp. A resembles Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) compacta, but it lacks the subsutural cord between suture and selenizone and is distinctly more slender. As in Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) compacta discussed above, the paucispiral and the relatively large diameter of the first whorl indicate nonplanktotrophic larval development for this species, which we retain in open nomenclature pending discovery of further specimens. Stegocoelia sp. indet. reported by Peel (Reference Peel2016) from the Namurian of Cheshire has four closely spaced spiral cords below the selenizone, unlike Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) sp. A, which has only two spiral cords below its selenizone. As already discussed by Peel (Reference Peel2016), the specimens assigned to Stegocoelia sp. indet. by him resembles Donaldina sp. indet. from the same assemblage.
Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cf. Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cincta (Donald, Reference Donald1895)
Figure 12
- cf. Reference Donald1895
Murchisonia (Stegocoelia) cincta Donald, p. 219, pl. 8, figs. 1, 2.
- Reference Longstaff1926
Hypergonia cincta; Longstaff, p. 542, pl. 36, fig. 2.
Figure 12. Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cf. Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cincta (Donald, Reference Donald1895), Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean). (1–4) NHMUK PI PG 10261. (5–7) NHMUK PI PG 10262.
Lectotype
Lectotype designated subsequently by Longstaff (Reference Longstaff1926) (original of Donald, Reference Donald1895, fig. 1), which is from the Young Collection, and reposited in Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow according to Longstaff (Reference Longstaff1926). Type locality, strata and age: Glencart, Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland, Upper Limestone Formation (Namurian).
Material
A total of five specimens, NHMUK PI PG 10261–2, 3 additional specimens, PI PG 10263(1–3), Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Remarks
Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cf. Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cincta is identical in ornamentation to Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) sp. A, but Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cf. Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cincta has a distinctly more rounded, convex whorl profile and seemingly has two protoconch whorls. Its protoconch is mamillated and heliciform and consists of slightly more than two whorls. Its first whorl has a diameter of 0.17 mm, much smaller than the other two Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) spp. treated above. This protoconch reflects planktotrophic larval development. Pleural angle of Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cf. Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cincta is 33°–37° and not so different from the other two Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) spp. According to the original description by Longstaff (1895) and a drawing of a whorl given by Longstaff (Reference Longstaff1926), Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) cincta bears a subsutural cord, which is not visible in the present specimens.
Subgenus Hypergonia Donald, Reference Donald1892
Type species
Murchisonia quadricarinata McCoy, Reference McCoy1844; by original designation.
Remarks
Hypergonia was erected as a subgenus of Murchisonia d'Archiac and de Verneuil, Reference d'Archiac and de Verneuil1841 by Donald (Reference Donald1892). According to Donald (Reference Donald1892), Hypergonia could be differentiated from Stegocoelia by lacking an umbilicus and not having a reflected inner lip. Longstaff (Reference Longstaff1926) elevated Hypergonia to generic rank and placed the type species of Stegocoelia—Murchisonia (Stegocoelia) compacta—in Hypergonia and stated the lack of an umbilicus in Stegocoelia. Subsequent authors regarded Hypergonia as a subgenus of Stegocoelia (e.g., Knight et al., Reference Knight, Cox, Keen, Batten, Yochelson, Robertson and Moore1960; Batten, Reference Batten1966b, Reference Batten1995; Thein and Nitecki, Reference Thein and Nitecki1974; Kues and Batten, Reference Kues and Batten2001). Knight et al. (Reference Knight, Cox, Keen, Batten, Yochelson, Robertson and Moore1960) differentiated Hypergonia from Stegocoelia with the former being more slender and higher spired. Bandel (Reference Bandel2002) regarded Hypergonia as a separate genus. According to Mazaev (Reference Mazaev2001, Reference Mazaev2011), the distinction between Hypergonia and Stegocoelia is unclear and Hypergonia is a junior synonym of Stegocoelia. Hypergonia resembles Stegocoelia in having the same type of protoconch and the same early ontogenetic shell development. In both taxa, the selenizone is concave, without ornament and situated on the same position on the whorl. Hypergonia differs from Stegocoelia in developing an angulated profile during later ontogeny, which represents the lower border of the selenizone. Herein, we follow most previous authors and regard it as a subgenus of Stegocoelia. Longstaff (Reference Longstaff1926) provided drawings and photographs of the initial heliciform whorls but did not document the protoconch-teleoconch boundary. Thein and Nitecki (Reference Thein and Nitecki1974, p. 168) described the protoconch “seemingly composed of two smooth and rounded whorls” but did not provide photographs. Due to the lack of clear documentation of the protoconch, Nützel and Bandel (Reference Nützel and Bandel2000) did not include Hypergonia in Goniasmatidae. Herein, the caenogastropod-type protoconch is documented for the first time in Hypergonia and hence the taxon can be placed as a subgenus of Stegocoelia in the Goniasmatidae. Stegocoelia (Hypergonia) tenuis Yoo, Reference Yoo1988 (see also Yoo, Reference Yoo1994) and Stegocoelia (Hypergonia) elongata Yoo, Reference Yoo1988 also have this type of protoconch but lack carinated teleoconch whorls and therefore do not represent the subgenus Hypergonia.
Stegocoelia (Hypergonia) variabilis (Donald, Reference Donald1895)
Figures 13, 14
- *Reference Donald1895
Murchisonia (Stegocoelia) variabilis Donald, p. 228, pl. 9, figs. 6, 7, 11.
- Reference Longstaff1926
Hypergonia variabilis; Longstaff, p. 552.
Figure 13. Stegocoelia (Hypergonia) variabilis (Donald, Reference Donald1895), Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean). (1–5) NHMUK PI PG 10265. (6–9) NHMUK PI PG 10266. (10) NHMUK PI PG 10267. Arrows = protoconch-teleoconch boundary.
Figure 14. Stegocoelia (Hypergonia) variabilis (Donald, Reference Donald1895), Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean), NHMUK PI PG 10268.
Lectotype
Lectotype designated subsequently by Longstaff (Reference Longstaff1926) (original of Donald, Reference Donald1895, fig. 6), which is from the Smith Collection. The whereabouts of the lectotype is unknown. Type locality, strata and age: Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Description
Shell high-spired, small (largest studied specimen H: 4.3 mm, W: 1.5 mm), with pleural angle of 23–29°. Protoconch orthostrophic, smooth, heliciform, mammilated, consisting of two whorls, terminating at sinusigera strengthened by varix; protoconch ~0.25 mm L and W; initial whorl W: 0.16 mm. Teleoconch whorls angulated; teleoconch with maximum of seven whorls; first teleoconch whorl with two spiral cords, uppermost representing the abapical selenizone border in later ontogeny and whorl angulation; subsutural cord and upper selenizone border appearing within second teleoconch whorl; late teleoconch whorls ornamented with one subsutural cord, two cords at selenizone borders, and two below selenizone; third and fourth cords are most prominent; lowermost cord (fifth) occasionally covered by subsequent whorl; third cord (abapical border of selenizone) representing the midwhorl of spire whorls. Selenizone wide, concave between second and third cords. Base anomphalous, slightly convex, facing abapically. Inner lip straight; aperture subovate, slightly higher than wide, with siphonal canal.
Material
A total of 93 specimens; five specimens, NHMUK PI PG 10264–10268, 88 specimens, PI PG 264(1–88); Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Remarks
Stegocoelia (Hypergonia) variabilis resembles Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) spp. studied herein but differs by developing a clear whorl angulation and possessing a wider selenizone. The protoconch is typical for that group and represents a larval shell of the planktotrophic type.
Genus Donaldospira Batten, Reference Batten1966
Type species
Murchisonia pertusa de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883; by original designation.
Remarks
Donaldospira was initially erected as a subgenus of Murchisonia by Batten (Reference Batten1966b) for high-spired, slit-bearing taxa with a convex selenizone situated at a whorl angulation. It was treated as a subgenus of Stegocoelia by Batten (Reference Batten1995). Mazaev (Reference Mazaev2001) considered Donaldospira to be a separate genus. A protoconch belonging to a member of this genus was first documented by Bandel (Reference Bandel2002), who assigned Donaldospira to Goniasmatidae (= Orthonemidae sensu Bandel, Reference Bandel2002).
Donaldospira plana? (Donald, Reference Donald1892)
Figure 15
- ?Reference Donald1892
Murchisonia (Hypergonia) plana Donald, p. 571, pl. 16, figs. 14, 15.
Figure 15. Donaldospira plana? (Donald, Reference Donald1892), Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean), NHMUK PI PG 10270.
Type specimens
Donald (Reference Donald1892) reported specimens from shales within the Lower Limestone Formation (Visean) at two different localities: Law Quarry, Dalry and Craigenglen, Campsie, Scotland. The whereabouts of the syntypes is unknown, and types have not been subsequently designated.
Description
Shell high-spired, small (H: 4.3 mm, W: 2.1 mm), murchisoniform, with pleural angle of 43°; protoconch coarsely recrystallized, orthostrophic, mammilated, smooth, heliciform, consisting of 1.5–2 whorls, terminating in opisthocyrt sinusigera. Teleoconch with six whorls; first two teleoconch whorls rounded; whorl face becoming acutely angulated from third teleoconch onward. Ramp slightly convex, smooth, slightly wider than lower whorl face. Selenizone convex, situated at median angulation representing periphery, bordered by faint spiral cords; selenizone borders slightly protruding. Lower whorl face slightly convex, smooth except from spiral cord between selenizone and abapical suture. Base anomphalous, convex. Aperture higher than wide, with siphonal canal; inner lip straight.
Material
Two specimens, NHMUK PI PG 10269–10270, Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Remarks
Murchisonia subtilistriata Donald, Reference Donald1889 from the Upper Limestone Formation at Dalry has a similar whorl profile but its selenizone is situated on the upper whorl face. The lower border of the selenizone represents the periphery, and it has multiple spiral cords on the lower whorl face. Murchisonia (Hypergonia) plana from the same locality and horizon (Law Quarry, Dalry, Lower Limestone Formation) and the studied specimens have the same whorl profile and a single spiral cord on the lower whorl face. Donald (Reference Donald1892) stated that in Donaldospira plana, the angulation forms the lower boundary of the selenizone, and it has a subsutural spiral cord. In the present specimens, the selenizone represents the whorl angulation and subsutural spiral cord is not visible. Therefore, the studied specimens are assigned to this species only tentatively.
Genus Platyzona Knight, Reference Knight1945
Type species
Pleurotomaria trilineata Hall, Reference Hall1858; by original designation.
Platyzona sp. indet.
Figure 16
Figure 16. Platyzona sp., Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Group (Visean), NHMUK PI PG 10257.
Material
A single specimen, NHMUK PI PG 10257, Law [Quarry], Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland; Lower Limestone Formation (Visean, Brigantian).
Remarks
A single shell fragment, likely belonging to a juvenile, shows the characteristic features of Platyzona with its rounded whorls and very wide selenizone. With its relatively high spire (pleural angle of 55°), it resembles Platyzona tornatilis Phillips, Reference Phillips1836 (see Batten, Reference Batten1966a, pl. 5, fig. 11 for a figure of the holotype), which has prominent spiral cords on the ramp above the selenizone. The present specimen shows faint, prosocyrt growth lines above the ramp but lacks distinct spiral ornament on the ramp.
Conclusions
The slit-bearing gastropod fauna of early Carboniferous (Visean) specimens from Dalry, Ayrshire is composed of the cosmopolitan Carboniferous genera: Biarmeaspira, Neilsonia, Tapinotomaria, Borestus, Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia), Stegocoelia (Hypergonia), Donaldospira, and Platyzona (e.g., Belgium: de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883; Poland: Gromczakiewicz-Łomnicka, Reference Gromczakiewicz-Łomnicka1973; Russia: Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2001, Reference Mazaev2002, Reference Mazaev2011; Germany: Amler, Reference Amler2006; Australia: Yoo, Reference Yoo1988, Reference Yoo1994; Morocco: Heidelberger et al., Reference Heidelberger, Korn and Ebbighausen2009; United States: Thein and Nitecki, Reference Thein and Nitecki1974; Batten, Reference Batten1995; Hoare et al., Reference Hoare, Sturgeon and Anderson1997; Kues and Batten, Reference Kues and Batten2001; Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022; Japan: Kase, Reference Kase1988). The studied fauna shares two common species with the contemporaneous (Visean) Hotwells Limestone of Somerset, England (Batten, Reference Batten1966a, Reference Battenb): Stegocoelia (Stegocoelia) compacta (Donald, Reference Donald1889) and Borestus similis. However, there are no shared species between the studied fauna and slightly younger (Namurian) fauna from Cheshire, England, suggesting a high turnover rate through time and/or high endemism. It should also be noted that studies on Visean gastropods from regions other than the UK are scarce (e.g., Poland: Gromczakiewicz-Łomnicka, Reference Gromczakiewicz-Łomnicka1973; Japan: Kase, Reference Kase1988; Morocco: Heidelberger et al., Reference Heidelberger, Korn and Ebbighausen2009) and the foundational work on the Carboniferous gastropods of Belgium by de Koninck (Reference de Koninck1842–1844, Reference de Koninck1883) still needs modern taxonomic revision, which complicates understanding the relationship of the Dalry fauna to other Visean faunas.
The study of well-preserved specimens from Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland from the Longstaff collection reveals new features about the early ontogeny of Neilsonia and Tapinotomaria. These features corroborate their placement in the vetigastropod order Pleurotomariida. Biarmeaspira was previously known only from the Permian of the USA, Russia (Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2006, Reference Mazaev2015, Reference Mazaev2016, Reference Mazaev2017), and Thailand (Ketwetsuriya et al., Reference Ketwetsuriya, Karapunar, Charoentitirat and Nützel2020). Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae n. sp. from the Visean represents the first Carboniferous record and suggests a possible repeated evolution of Biarmeaspira spp. from different Baylea spp. (iterative evolution). In the evolutionary history of Pleurotomariida, an angulated selenizone evolved several times (e.g., in the late Paleozoic: Worthenia de Koninck, Reference de Koninck1883, Biarmeaspira; Triassic: Sisenna, Wortheniella Schwardt, Reference Schwardt1992, Nodocingulum Karapunar and Nützel, Reference Karapunar and Nützel2021, Schizogonium Koken, Reference Koken1889; Jurassic: Ptychomphalus Agassiz, Reference Agassiz and Sowerby1837, Trochotomaria Conti and Fischer, Reference Conti, Fischer, Farinacci and Elmi1981, Bathrotomaria Cox, Reference Cox1956). Slit-band gastropods with angulated shells (wortheniform taxa) evolved more frequently than the other forms, e.g., conical forms (late Paleozoic: Glyptotomaria Knight, Reference Knight1945, Neilsonia; Triassic: Stuorella Kittl, Reference Kittl1891, Codinella Kittl, Reference Kittl1899; Jurassic: Pyrgotrochus Fischer, Reference Fischer1885). The increasing proportion of certain forms can be due to (i) high origination rates in certain clades, (ii) more frequent evolution of some forms than others (e.g., Wagner and Erwin, Reference Wagner and Erwin2006), and (iii) selective extinction of certain clades or certain forms (e.g., Vermeij, Reference Vermeij1987; Erwin, Reference Erwin1990). Wagner and Erwin (Reference Wagner and Erwin2006) found that certain shell forms (e.g., pleurotomariiform, euomphaliform) evolved more frequently in the early Paleozoic due to their higher origination rates, and they explained this with ecomorphology. The extinction of the bellerophontid form at the end-Permian and higher origination of trochiform taxa in the Triassic (Erwin, Reference Erwin1990) is an example of the selective origination/extinction of a shell form. One hypothesis to explain morphological trends in gastropod shells over Phanerozoic is the elimination of some shell forms (openly umbilicate or high-spired shells) by selective agents (Vermeij, Reference Vermeij1987). Previous studies (Schindel et al., Reference Schindel, Vermeij and Zisper1982; Lindström, Reference Lindström2003) showed that Worthenia has higher shell-repair frequency than other pleurotomariid taxa, indicating that wortheniform shell morphology has higher resistance to predation (assuming a similar life span among taxa). Repaired shell fractures are also present in the studied pleurotomariid taxa (Biarmeaspira heidelbergerae n. sp., Fig. 3.2.; Neilsonia seussae n. sp., Fig. 6.5; Tapinotomaria longstaffae n. sp., Figs. 7.6, 8.1). Obviously durophagous predation was an important selective agent in the Paleozoic (e.g., Ebbestad and Peel, Reference Ebbestad and Peel1997; Ebbestad, Reference Ebbestad1998; Brett and Walker, Reference Brett and Walker2002; Lindström and Peel, Reference Lindström and Peel2005; Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022) and might have favored more resistant shell forms. Answers to the questions whether wortheniform shells (e.g., Biarmeaspira) appeared repeatedly and independently, if the frequency of their appearance changed through time (more wortheniform taxa in the Mesozoic), and if wortheniform taxa appeared more frequently in certain clades will require detailed phylogenetic hypotheses. The differential origination/extinction rates among clades and their impact on frequency of certain shell forms have yet to be investigated.
Paleozoic gastropods with preserved protoconchs and fine morphological details of the teleoconch are rare. The gastropods from Dalry (Stegocoelia, Hypergonia, Donaldospira) confirm that the majority of late Paleozoic murchisoniform (high-spired with slit) gastropods have heliciform, caenogastropod-type protoconchs including some species with planktotrophic larval development (see also Yoo, Reference Yoo1988, Reference Yoo1994; Nützel, Reference Nützel1998; Bandel, Reference Bandel2002; Bandel et al., Reference Bandel2002; Mazaev, Reference Mazaev2002, Reference Mazaev2011, Reference Mazaev2015, Reference Mazaev2020; Nützel and Pan, Reference Nützel and Pan2005; Karapunar et al., Reference Karapunar, Nützel, Seuss and Mapes2022). The lack of nacre (Bandel et al., Reference Bandel2002) and tendency to have a siphonal canal suggest a closer relationship with Caenogastropoda, near Cerithioidea, and a more distant relationship with very high-spired Pleurotomariida (Nützel, Reference Nützel1998; Nützel and Pan, Reference Nützel and Pan2005). As to the status of these characters in the Devonian genus Murchisonia, more research is warranted—it is possible that Murchisonia belongs to Pleurotomariida.
Good shell preservation is crucial for improving our knowledge of gastropod shell morphology, which is the main source to infer evolution and phylogeny of extinct gastropods. Given the fine-scaled silicification of the studied material from Dalry, it is desirable to study other taxa from Longstaff's collection at NHMUK and to prospect for new material from extant localities exposing the same horizon.
Acknowledgments
K. Collins (NHMUK) is greatly acknowledged for their help in returning loaned material, providing archived material of Jane Longstaff, and providing inventory numbers. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) is acknowledged for financial support (project NU 96/14-1, NU 96/14-2). We are thankful to the reviewers M. Amler (University of Cologne), A. Mazaev (Russian Academy of Sciences), and J.O. Ebbestad (Uppsala University) for their critical comments. S. Zamora, J. Kastigar, and P.M. Mikkelsen are acknowledged for editorial comments. Open access funding enabled and organized by DFG.
Declaration of competing interest
Authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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