GeolCarp_Vol62_No1_103

www.geologicacarpathica.sk

GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA

, FEBRUARY 2011, 62, 1, 103—106 doi: 10.2478/v10096-011-0009-8

SHORT COMMUNICATION

A new Middle Miocene Niveria Jousseaume, 1884

(Mollusca: Gastropoda: Trivioidea) from Hungary

DIRK FEHSE

Nippeser Str. 3, D-12524 Berlin, Germany; Dirk.Fehse@rohde-schwarz.com

(Manuscript received November 23, 2010; accepted in revised form December 16, 2010)

Abstract: A new species of Niveria from the Middle Miocene (Badenian) of the Paratethys of Borsodbóta, Hungary is
described. This species is characterized by its callused dorsum and dorsal depression. Niveria jozefgregoi sp. nov. is
discussed with comparative species from the Badenian of Hungary, the Pliocene of the Mediterranean region, Florida
and Recent species from Madeira and the Islas Galápagos.

Key words: Badenian, Paratethys, taxonomy, molluscs, Triviidae.

Introduction

The Miocene Triviidae of Europe have yet to be revised as the
original illustrations and original descriptions are insufficient
and the type specimens are difficult to locate (e.g. collection
Grateloup:  Bruno  Cahuzac,  Université  Bordeaux,  pers.
comm.). The shell morphology of most species is more or less
similar to Niveria nix (Schilder, 1922) – the type species of
the  genus  Niveria  Jousseaume,  1884  (syn.  Sulcotrivia
Schilder, 1933). They are characterized by a dorsal sulcus or a
dorsal  depression  where  the  ribs  are  bisected  or  depressed.
Therefore,  the  new  species  is  assigned  to  the  genus  Niveria.
There is a small group of species among Niveria that possess
dorsal callosities. Taxa of this group are Niveria permixta (de
Cristofori  &  Jan,  1832)  from  the  Mediterranean  Pliocene,
Niveria  floridana  (Olsson  &  Harbison,  1952)  and  Niveria
incomparabilis  Fehse,  in  print  from  the  Florida  Pliocene,
Niveria  pulloidea  (Dall  &  Ochsner,  1928)  from  the  Pleis-
tocene and Recent of the Islas Galápagos (Fehse, in print) and
Niveria  grohorum  Fehse  &  Grego,  2008  from  Madeira.  The
first species from the Miocene has been discovered from the
Badenian of the Paratethys of Borsodbóta, Hungary and it is
described herein as Niveria jozefgregoi sp. nov.

Abbreviations

ANSP – Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

DFB – Dirk Fehse collection, Berlin, Germany.
GIH – Geological Institute of Hungary, Budapest, Hungary.
JGS – Jozef Grego collection, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
ZSM – Zoological State Collection, Munich, Germany.

Superfamily: Trivioidea Troschel, 1863

Family: Triviidae Troschel, 1863

Subfamily: Triviinae Troschel, 1863

Genus: Niveria Jousseaume, 1884

T y p e s p e c i e s: Cypraea nivea Gray, 1824 [ = Trivia nix

Schilder, 1922] by original designation. Recent, Caribbean.

Niveria jozefgregoi sp. nov.

Fig. 1.1—3, Fig. 2.1—5.

H o l o t y p e: Fig. 1.1a—d (ZSM, No. 20100658)
P a r a t y p e 1: Fig. 1.2a—d (DFB, No. 10094-1)
T y p e l o c a l i t y: Borsodbóta, “Királdi-útbevágás”, county

Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Hungary.

T y p e s t r a t u m: Middle Badenian, Tortonian, Middle

Miocene.

D e r i v a t i o n o m i n i s: Named in honour of Jozef Grego,

a personal friend of the author.

S h e l l f o r m u l a: L = 6.7—8.8, W = 75—83 % of length,

D = 63—68 % of length, LT = 17—22, CT = 15—19, RR = 16—20.

A modified shell formula is used herein. This formula is

derived from measurements taken from all available fully
mature and normally formed specimens. L – length in mm,
W – width/length ratio in %, H – height/length ratio in %,
LT – number of labral teeth, CT – number of columellar
teeth, RR – number of dorsal ribs.

Description

Shell small sized, solid and roundly ovate. Spire slightly el-

evated and covered by callus. Body whorl ovate, inflated and

Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Dirk Fehse collection, Berlin, Germany.
Geological Institute of Hungary, Budapest, Hungary.
Jozef Grego collection, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
Zoological State Collection, Munich, Germany.

ANSP

DFB

GIH

JGS

ZSM

104

FEHSE

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 1, 103—106

rounded, about 90 % of total height, with both terminals pro-
duced and blunt terminal tips. Dorsum highly elevated, with a
hump nearly on mid-portion and a mid-dorsal depression that
bisects or depresses the ribs. Ribs coarse, somewhat irregular,
covered by callus on dorsal summit. Ventrum slightly convex
with straight terminals. Aperture narrow, almost straight, wid-
ened slightly at the fossular section. Labrum roundly callused,
narrow, widened at its mid-portion, curved, keeled towards its
inner margin, anteriorly declivous. Outer labral margin acute-
ly  shouldered.  Labrum  bears  on  its  inner  margin  17—22  fine
denticles.  Denticles  continued  as  fine  folds  onto  labrum,  be-
coming  broader  onto  dorsum  and  ventrum,  narrowing  onto
columella  and  fossula.  Siphonal  and  anal  canals  follow  shell
profile. Columella is concave, broad and tapering steeply in-

wards. Parietal lip slightly roundly callused, bears 15—19 fine
ribs. Fossula broadly concave, not clearly delimited from the
rest of the columella. Inner fossular and columellar edge den-
ticulated, covered by labrum on ventral view. Inner fossular
edge slightly protruded.

Variations

Shell outline varies from almost circular to ovate. Mid-

dorsal  callosity  more  or  less  developed.  Dorsal  depression
sometimes  obscured.  The  development  of  the  dorsal  hump
varies  slightly.  The  dorsal  ribs  are  sometimes  somewhat
broader than in some specimens.

Fig. 1.  1a,b,c,d  –  Niveria
jozefgregoi  nov.  sp.  Holotype,
ZSM,  No. 20100658,    Middle
Badenian,  Middle  Miocene,
Borsodbóta,  county  Borsod-
Abaúj-Zemplén,

Hungary.

2a,b,c,d – Niveria jozefgregoi
nov.  sp.  Paratype 3,  coll.  JGS,
No. T0701/1,  Middle  Bade-
nian,  Middle  Miocene,  Bor-
sodbóta,

county

Borsod-

Abaúj-Zemplén,

Hungary.

3a,b,c,d – Niveria jozefgregoi
nov. sp. Paratype 4, coll. JGS,
No. T0701/2, Middle Bade-
nian,

Middle

Miocene,

Borsodbóta, county Borsod-
Abaúj-Zemplén,

Hungary.

4a,b,c,d – Niveria jozefgregoi
nov.  sp.  Paratype 5,  coll.  JGS,
No. T0701/3,  Middle  Bade-
nian,  Middle  Miocene,  Bor-
sodbóta,

county

Borsod-

Abaúj-Zemplén, Hungary.

105

A NEW MIDDLE MIOCENE NIVERIA JOUSSEAUME, 1884 (MOLLUSCA: GASTROPODA: TRIVIOIDEA)

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 1, 103—106

Material and measurements

Total number of 8 specimens were examined in detail. This

material was collected by the author and J. Grego at “királdi út-
bevágás” Borsodbóta village during the years 2003 and 2005.

Holotype: L = 8.8 mm, W = 6.8 mm, D = 5.8 mm, CT 19,

LT 22, RR 20 (ZSM, No. 20100658)

Paratype 1: L = 7.1 mm, W = 5.7 mm, D = 4.7 mm, CT 15,

LT 18, RR 18 (DFB, No. 10094-1)

Paratype 2: L = 7.2 mm, W = 5.4 mm, D = 4.5 mm, CT 15,

LT 17, RR 16 (DFB, No. 10094-2)

Paratype 3: L = 8.0 mm, W = 6.6 mm, D = 5.4 mm, CT 16,

LT 17, RR 18 (coll. JGS, No. T0701/1)

Paratype 4: L = 7.4 mm, W = 5.8 mm, D = 4.8 mm, CT 15,

LT 17, RR 16 (coll. JGS, No. T0701/2)

Paratype 5: L = 7.0 mm, W = 5.6 mm, D = 4.7 mm, CT 16,

LT 17, RR 18 (coll. JGS, No. T0701/3)

Paratype 6: L = 6.7 mm, W = 5.0 mm, D = 4.4 mm, CT 15,

LT 17, RR 20 (coll. JGS, No. T0701/4)

Discussion

The new species is assigned to the genus Niveria Jous-

seaume, 1884 because all taxa in the genus have a dorsal fur-
row or depression that is crossed by ribs.

Fig. 2.  1a,b,c,d  – Niveria  jozefgregoi
nov.  sp.  Paratype 2,  coll.  DFB,
No. 10094-1, Middle Badenian, Middle
Miocene,  Borsodbóta,  county  Borsod-
Abaúj-Zemplén,  Hungary.  2a,b,c,d  –
Niveria jozefgregoi nov. sp. Paratype 6,
coll.  JGS,  No. T0701/4,  Middle  Bade-
nian,  Middle  Miocene,  Borsodbóta,
county  Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén,  Hun-
gary. 3a,b,c,d – Trivia eszterae Fehse
&  Vicián,  2006.  Holotype,  GIH,
No. M.06.24, Middle Badenian, Middle
Miocene,  Borsodbóta,  county  Borsod-
Abaúj-Zemplén, Hungary. 4 – Niveria
floridana  (Olsson  &  Harbison,  1952).
Holotype, ANSP, No. 18611. Pinecrest
Beds, Zanclean, Early Pliocene, St. Pe-
tersburg,

Florida,

U.S.A.

Length

11.1 mm.  5  –  Niveria  incomparabilis
Fehse,  in  print.  Pinecrest  Beds,  Zan-
clean,  Early  Pliocene,  Bird  Road  dig,
Miami,  Dade  County,  Florida,  U.S.A.
(after Petuch, 1994: pl. 24, figs. L, M).
Length 12 mm.

106

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2011, 62, 1, 103—106

Niveria jozefgregoi sp. nov. is separated from all Miocene

Triviidae  by  its  mid-dorsal  callosity.  The  paratype 5  in
Fig. 1.4 shows only traces of the callosity between the dorsal
ribs  four  and  six.  In  other  specimens  the  dorsal  callosity  is
much  more  developed  (e.g.  holotype).  The  congener  Trivia
eszterae Fehse & Vicián, 2006 has a similar shell outline and
dorsal hump but lacks the dorsal depression and especially the
dorsal  callosity.  Furthermore,  the  ribs  are  coarser  in  N.
jozefgregoi  sp.  nov.  The  first  species  with  dorsal  callosities
were  so  far  known  only  from  the  Pliocene  with  Niveria
permixta (De Cristofori & Jan, 1832) from the north-western
Mediterranean,  N.  floridana  (Olsson  &  Harbison,  1952)  and
N. incomparabilis Fehse, in print, from Florida (Fehse & Lan-
dau  2003;  Fehse,  in  print).  The  new  species  differs  from  N.
permixta by coarser and less numerous ribs (16—20 ribs in N.
jozefgregoi  sp.  nov.  vs. 30—34  in  N.  permixta),  by  a  smaller
size (average 7.5 mm in  N. jozefgregoi sp. nov. vs. 12.6 mm
in N. permixta (Fehse & Landau, 2003)), by a less developed
dorsal depression, narrower columella and fossula and a more
circular shell outline. Niveria floridana and N. incomparabilis
differ  from  N.  jozefgregoi  sp.  nov.  by  their  well-developed
dorsal sulcus and the formation of their dorsal callosities. The
new  species  has  its  callosity  on  the  dorsal  summit  and  the
Florida species have callosities on both sides of their sulcus.
The  Florida  species  also  have  a  different  shell  morphology.
Niveria floridana has an ovate shell, narrower columella and
fossula,  finer  ribs  and  a  more  developed  parietal  lip.  Niveria
incomparabilis has a broader labrum, a very unique columella
and fossula and finer dorsal ribs. The Pleistocene and Recent
N.  pulloidea  from  the  Islas  Galápagos  is  separated  from  the
new  species  by  the  broader  labrum,  narrower  columella  and
fossula, indented terminal tips and well-developed parietal lip.
The  Recent  N.  grohorum  Fehse  &  Grego,  2008  is  separated
from N. jozefgregoi sp. nov. by the elongated shell outline, the
narrow  columella  and  fossula,  well-developed  parietal  lip,
shorter terminals and less elevated dorsum.

Conclusion

Niveria jozefgregoi sp. nov. appears to be the oldest mem-

ber of a group of species with dorsal callosities. The shell
shape of all the species is superficially similar and indicates
their relationship. At the moment there is a large stratigraph-
ic gap between N. jozefgregoi sp. nov. and N. permixta in the

Late Miocene. Further research in the layers of the Late Mio-
cene especially of the Messinian should close the gap.

Acknowledgments: I am very grateful to Dr. József Kókay
for his help with information about the geology of the locali-
ty. Many thanks to Lindsey T. Groves from the Los Angeles
County Museum, U.S.A. for reviewing the manuscript and
helpful suggestions.

References

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the Galápagos Islands. Proc. California Acad. Sci., 4

series, 17,

4, 89—139, figs. 1—5, pls. 2—7.

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bung einer neuen Art der Gattung Semitrivia Cossmann, 1903.
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