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Massyla propevenusta

Geological Range

Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene; Extinct.

Paleogeographic Distribution

Southern Florida to northern Florida.

Remarks

Original Description (from Mansfield, 1930, p. 47-48):

"Shell rather large, thin and fragile, turrited, and consists of 5 whorls. Nucleus smooth, flatly coiled. Following whorls rounded, strongly constricted at the profound, grooved suture. Spiral sculpture of equidistant, nearly flat-topped narrow bands (8 on the penultimate and 19 on the body whorl and canal), roughened by growth lines and poorly defined axials. Axial sculpture of weak ribs and closely crowded growth lines overrunning the surface and giving the shell a roughened but not a distinctly cancellate appearance. Aperture earshaped, slightly produced submedially. Outer lip thin, marked within with 15 carinate lirations, which are located opposite to the external spiral interspaces. Canal short, rather wide, and reflected. Posterior part of a parietal wall with a spiral, rounded ridge. Columellar lip marginally reflected and provided with 2 plications, anterior plication more oblique than posterior. A large perforation is behind the lower part of the columellar lip. Siphonal fasciole prominent, ornamented with 3 to 4 closely-set coarse spiral lines.

Type (U.S.N.M. Cat. No. 370006) measures: Altitude, 35 mm.; greatest diameter, 20 mm.; length of aperture, 22 mm.; greatest width, 10 mm.

The new species is closely allied to Cancellaria venusta Tuomey and Holmes, a species occurring both in the Waccamaw and Caloosahatchee Pliocene, but differs from this species in having a much larger shell, much more inflated and tabulated early spire whorls, and in lacking the coarse cancellate ornamentation possessed by the Pliocene species.

Occurrence: Upper Miocene: Florida, station 1/946, Harveys Creek, about half a mile above abandoned mill, Leon County, type locality (common); station 3671, Hosford, Liberty County (rare); borrow pit, near Jackson Bluff, Leon County (rare); station 8176, the "Deadens," Washington County (rare).

Outside occurrence: North Carolina, Natural Well. South Carolina, Muldrow's place, 5 miles southeast of Mayesville; Darlington."

To access this description in its original formatting through Google Books, click here.

Stratigraphic Occurrences

Early Pleistocene
Caloosahatchee Formation (S. FL)
Late Pliocene
Tamiami Formation (S. FL)
Tamiami Formation (Pinecrest Beds) (S. FL)
<i>Massyla propevenusta</i> from the Tamiami Fm. (Pinecrest Beds) of Sarasota County, Florida (UF 111781).
Massyla propevenusta from the Tamiami Fm. (Pinecrest Beds) of Sarasota County, Florida (UF 111781).
Specimen of <i>Massyla propevenusta</i> figured by Mansfield (1930, pl. 17, fig. 2); 35 mm.
Specimen of Massyla propevenusta figured by Mansfield (1930, pl. 17, fig. 2); 35 mm.
<i>Massyla propevenusta</i> from the Late Pliocene Tamiami Fm. (Pinecrest Beds) of Sarasota County, Florida (PRI 70188).
Massyla propevenusta from the Late Pliocene Tamiami Fm. (Pinecrest Beds) of Sarasota County, Florida (PRI 70188).
Early Pleistocene Map
Early Pleistocene Map
Late Pliocene Map
Late Pliocene Map