Figs 13C–D, 15A–D
Voluta exilis m.—Eichwald 1929: 298, pl. 5, fig. 15 [junior homonym of Voluta exilis Gmelin, 1791].
M [arginella]. exilis m.— Eichwald 1830: 221.
Marginella auriculata — Dubois de Montpéreux 1831: 24, pl. 1, figs 15–16 [non Ringicula auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811)].
Marginella auriculata — Andrzejowski 1832: 548 [non Ringicula auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811)].
Ring [icula]. buccinea Desh. — Eichwald 1853: 258 [non Ringicula buccinea (Brocchi, 1814)].
Ringicula auriculata Men.— Friedberg 1928: 551 (pars), pl. 36, fig. 8 [non Ringicula auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811)].
? Ringicula auriculata Eichw.—Montanaro Gallitelli & Tacoli 1951: 164, pl. 1, fig. 7 [non Ringicula auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811)].
Ringicula (Ringiculina) auriculata buccinea Brocchi— Strausz 1954: 38, pl. 5, fig. 117 [non Ringicula buccinea (Brocchi, 1814)].
Ringicula (Ringiculella) exilis (Eichwald) — Berger 1954: 122, pl. 8, figs 37–40, pl. 9, figs 41–47, pl. 10, figs 48–50.
R [ingicula]. (R [ingiculina].) auriculata exilis (Eichw.) — Sieber 1958: 162.
Ringicula (Ringiculina) auriculata buccinea Brocchi— Strausz 1962: 101, pl. 41, figs 3–6, pl. 72, figs 11–14 [non Ringicula buccinea (Brocchi, 1814)].
Ringicula (Ringiculella) auriculata buccinea Brocc.—Atanacković 1963: 217, pl. 15, figs 6–6a [non Ringicula buccinea (Brocchi, 1814)].
Ringicula (Ringiculina) auriculata buccinea Brocchi— Strausz 1966: 469, pl. 41, figs 3–6, pl. 72, figs 11–14 [non Ringicula buccinea (Brocchi, 1814)].
Ringicula (Ringiculella) auriculata var. ventricosa Sow. — Duşa 1967: 58, figs 10–10a [non Ringicula ventricosa (J. de C. Sowerby, 1823)].
Ringicula auriculata (Dubois de Montpereux, 1831) — Zelinskaya et al. 1968: 233, pl. 52, figs 17–18 [non Ringicula auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811)].
Ringicula auriculata auriculata Menard— Borza 1973: 26, pl. 3, figs 9–10 [non Ringicula auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811)].
Ringicula auriculata buccinea (Brocchi 1814) — Krach 1981: 78, pl. 23, fig. 16 [non Ringicula buccinea (Brocchi, 1814)].
Ringicula (Ringiculella) exilis (Eichwald, 1829) — Švagrovský 1984: 185, pl. 2, fig. 7.
Ringicula (Ringiculella) auriculata buccinea (Brocchi, 1814) — Atanacković 1985: 186 (pars), pl. 41, figs 15–16 [non Ringicula buccinea (Brocchi, 1814)].
Ringicula (R.) auriculata buccinea (Brocchi.) — Tiţă 2007: fig. 5e.
? Ringicula exilis (Eichwald, 1829) — Landau et al. 2013: 325, pl. 52, fig. 15, pl. 76, fig. 12.
Ringicula ventricosa (Sowerby 1824 [sic]) s.l.— Guzhov 2022a: 1135, pl. 8, figs 9–10, pl. 9, figs 1–5 (cum syn.) [non Ringicula ventricosa (J. de C. Sowerby, 1823)].
* Ringicula guzhovi nov. nom. — Landau et al. 2023: 375.
non Ringicula exilis (Eichwald) — Morlet 1878: 281, pl. 7, fig. 5.
non Ringicula (Ringiculella) auriculata var. exilis (Eichw.) — Sacco 1904: 110, pl. 24, figs 29–30.
non Ringicula (Ringiculella) exilis (Eichwald, 1829) — Švagrovský 1984: 185, pl. 2, fig. 7 [= Ringicula minor (Grateloup, 1838)].
Type material. Lectotype (designated herein): PSM no. 3/466-1, SL: 5.6 mm, MD: 3.7 mm, Zhukivtsi (Ukraine), illustrated in Guzhov (2022a: pl. 9, fig. 8). Paralectotypes: PSM no. 3/468, SL: 5.2 mm, SL: 3.7 mm, Zhukivtsi (Ukraine), illustrated in Guzhov (2022a: pl. 9, fig. 9).
Illustrated material. NHMW 1870/0014/0001, SL. 5.7 mm, MD: 3.8 mm, Golubytsya (Hołubica) (Ukraine), Figs 13C, 15A 1 –A 2. NHMW 1870/0014/0001a, SL. 5.5 mm, MD: 3.9 mm, Golubytsya (Hołubica) (Ukraine), Figs 15B 1 –B 2. NHMW 1870/0014/0001b, SL. 5.3 mm, MD: 4.1 mm, Golubytsya (Hołubica) (Ukraine), Figs 15C 1 –C 2. NHMW-ZOO-MO-75000-E-57957, SL: 8.8 mm, MD: 5.8 mm, Steinebrunn (Austria), Figs 13D, 15D 1 –D 2.
Original description. Because the illustration Eichwald (1829) is very poor and because of the confusion in the literature concerning the status of this species, we provide the description given by Eichwald (1853: 258, translated from Latin): “ Small ventricose shell, gibbous-ovate, very finely transversely striate, apex very acute, aperture longer up to penultimate whorl, wider in its middle, margin reflexed, thickened, base emarginate, columellar margin triplicate; var. exilis with thin, very acute whorls, last whorl suddenly increasing.”
Revised description. Shell medium sized, moderately to strongly globose, very broad (SL/MD = 1.3–1.5), with moderately high conical spire (AA= 60–73°). Protoconch pointed, paucispiral of 1.5 convex whorls (dp = 350–400 μm). Teleoconch of four whorls separated by narrowly impressed, linear suture. Spire whorls moderately convex with periphery just above abapical suture. Sculpture of weak spiral cords with narrow spiral grooves. Last whorl 74–78% of total height, strongly globose. Periphery placed just above mid-whorl (SL/ PH = 1.9–2.0); not constricted at base. Sculpture variable ranging from nearly smooth to numerous, broad, flattish spiral cords separated by narrow grooves. Aperture 66–72% of total height, adapically moderately narrow, widening abapically (MD/MAW = 3.3– 3.7). Outer lip strongly thickened by wide labial varix bearing broad palatal swelling within. Anal sinus moderately deep, narrowly U-shaped; siphonal canal very short, open, broad, notched at tip. Columella with two prominent, robust folds abapically, parietal denticle weak to subobsolete placed on thickened parietal pad. Columellar and parietal callus thickened, sharply delimited, slightly expanding over base.
Discussion. Ringicula guzhovi Landau, Harzhauser & Malaquias, 2023 displays considerable variability concerning its spiral sculpture and is characterized by its weak parietal denticle, relatively high spire and globose last whorl. Our material from the type region comprises nearly smooth shells, however Guzhov (2022a) illustrated several specimens with distinct spiral grooves from the same region. Ringicula hoernesii (Seguenza, 1881) has a similarly inflated last whorl but differs in its lower and broader spire and narrower columellar folds. Ringicula minor (Grateloup, 1838) agrees in its spire morphology but is smaller and has a narrower and less convex last whorl.
Specimens from the Pliocene of Viale (Italy), identified by Sacco as Ringicula auriculata var. exilis (1904: pl. 24, figs 29–30), differ in their elongate outline and prominent parietal denticle and probably represent a morph of the highly variable R. auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811) (see Landau et al. 2023: 371, p. 25). Similarly, a specimen from the Miocene of France, illustrated by Morlet (1878: pl. 7, fig. 5) as R. exilis, most probably represents another species.
Paleoenvironment. Shallow marine, inner neritic based on the associated fauna (own data, M.H.).
Distribution in Central Paratethys. Badenian (Middle Miocene): Roztocze Hills: Węglinek, (Poland) (Krach 1981); Korytnica Basin: Korytnica (Poland) (Friedberg 1938); Zhukivtsi, Trostyanets, Yaseniv (Ukraine) (Guzhov 2022a); Voronyaky Hills: Golubytsya (Hołubica), Oles’ko, Pidgirtsi, Yaseniv (Ukraine) (Friedberg 1938); Polish-Ukrainian Fore-Carpathian Basin: Borki Wielkie, Chomentów (Poland) (Friedberg 1938); Tarnoruda, Shushkivtsi, Zalistsi, Zhabyak, Zhukivtsi, Zboriv (Ukraine) (Friedberg 1938); North Alpine Foreland Basin: Grund, Guntersdorf (Austria) (Berger 1954);? Žabčice (Czech Republic) (Montanaro Gallitelli & Tacoli 1951); Vienna Basin: Enzesfeld, Gainfarn, Steinebrunn, Vienna /Pötzleinsdorf (Austria) (Berger 1954); Borský Mikuláš (Czech Republic) (Švagrovský 1984); Pannonian Basin: Várpalota (Strausz 1966); Southern Pannonian Basin: Hrvaćani, Milijevići (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (Atanacković 1963, 1985); Southern Carpathians: Bahna (Romania) (Tiţă 2007); Făget Basin: Nemesti (Romania) Duşa 1967).
Proto-Mediterranean Sea.? Serravallian (Middle Miocene): Karaman Basin: Akpınar, Lale, Seyithasan (Turkey) (Landau et al. 2013).
Eastern Paratethys. Konkian (Middle Miocene): Ciscaucasia: Chumnaya, Maikopskaya Kuzhora, Vetrennaya (Republic of Adygea, Russia).