Lophophaena nadezdae Petrushevskaya, 1971

Plate 23, Figs 1A – 2C.

Lithomelissa cf. galeata Ehrenberg, Benson, 1966, pl. 24, figs. 16–17 (non fig. 18).

Lophophaena nadezdae n. sp., Petrushevskaya, 1971, pl. 60, figs. 1–4.

Lophophaena variabilis Popofsky, Van de Paverd, 1995, pl. 65, figs. 5–6, 11.

Lophophaena buetschlii Haeckel, Van de Paverd, 1995, pl. 65, figs. 3–4 (non fig. 10).

Lophophaena nadezdae Petrushevskaya, Trubovitz et al., 2020, supplementary data 7.

Remarks. Despite its abundance in our samples, this species is not commonly cited in the literature. Following Petrushevskaya (1971), we consider this species to have an elongated spiny cephalis with indistinct neck area, and a broad thorax (~2x the cephalis width) with numerous ribs and extended spines. Illustrations published under the names Lithomelissa cf. galeata Ehrenberg (Benson, 1966), Lophophaena variabilis Popofsky (Van de Paverd, 1995), and Lophophaena buetschlii Haeckel (Van de Paverd, 1995) best fit the description of Lophophaena nadezdae in our opinion, so these specimens are included in our synonymy.

Range. Late Miocene—Recent, EEP (Table 1).