Ceratocyrtis vila n. sp.

Plate 12, Figs. 1A – 8B.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: FC86AA1D-642B-4331-A956-BB44601D2D56

Ceratocyrtis sp 6, partim., Trubovitz et al., 2020, supplementary data 7.

Ceratocyrtis sp 8, Trubovitz et al., 2020, supplementary data 7.

Diagnosis. Ceratocyrtis with a very small cephalis surrounded by four small but prominent thoracic lobes where the thorax attaches to the cephalis, and the overall shape is highly elongated and generally conical.

Description. This species has a small, spherical cephalis that appears somewhat sunken into the thorax. The cephalis sits between a set of four strong thoracic lobes, which are each approximately the same size as the cephalis, and are located where the thorax attaches to the cephalis. Although this character is not always preserved, there is a single strong conical horn slightly longer than the height of the cephalis, and sometimes 1–2 minor thorns on the cephalis as well. This species has a long, conical thorax, with pores gradually increasing in size from top to bottom. Thorax wall is mostly smooth, without any prominent spines or thorns. Most specimens have a slight inflection in the thorax outline just below the four shoulders, where the pore size begins to increase more dramatically and shell silicification begins to decrease towards the base of the thorax. A dendritic axobate is present in most specimens, but in others the axobate does not appear to be dendritic.

Remarks. The relatively small, symmetrical shoulders surrounding the cephalis and the elongated cone-shaped thorax differentiate this species from the other Ceratocyrtis taxa observed in this study.

Material examined. 72 specimens observed from samples 321-1337A-35X- 1, 106–108cm (Middle Miocene), 321-1337D-23H- 6, 134–137cm (Late Miocene), 321-1337A-21H-1, 33–35cm (Late Miocene), 321-1337A-18H-6, 77–80cm (Late Miocene), 321-1337A-16H- 6, 121–124cm (Late Miocene), 321-1337A-14H-7, 39–42cm (Late Miocene), 321-1337A-12H-5, 23–26cm (Late Miocene), and 321-1337A-10H-2, 91–94cm (Early Pliocene).

Holotype. Pl. 12, figs. 1A–B; sample 321-1337D-23H- 6, 134–137cm; ECO-146; R41-3.

Paratypes. (1) Pl. 12, fig. 7; sample 321-1337A-21H-1, 33–35cm; ECO-144; P12-1. (2) Pl. 12, fig. 4; sample 321-1337A-21H-1, 33–35cm; ECO-144; Y23-1. (3) Pl. 12, figs. 3A–B; sample 321-1337D-23H- 6, 134–137cm; ECO-145; O6-4. (4) Pl. 12, figs. 2A–B; sample 321-1337D-23H- 6, 134–137cm; ECO-145; H13-2. (5) Pl. 12, fig. 5; sample 321-1337D-23H- 6, 134–137cm; ECO-146; V16-2. (6) Pl. 12, fig. 6; sample 321-1337D-23H- 6, 134–137cm; SCO-146; P16-3. (7) [not figured] sample 321-1337A-16H- 6, 121–124cm; ECO-141; G35-4.

Measurements. Cephalis height 20–23 (22)μm; cephalis width 15–20 (18)μm; thorax width 77–111 (89)μm; thorax length 68–108 (90)μm; width of thorax at shoulders 30–38 (42)μm. Based on 11 specimens with variable preservation of the thoracic segment. Thus, the length and width of the thorax measurements should be considered the minimum possible dimensions, as all specimens had irregular terminations of the thorax, suggesting that they were partially broken.

Etymology. Named for the nymphs often portrayed wearing long white dresses in Slavic folklore, vilas.

Range. Middle Miocene—Early Pliocene, in the EEP. Lower limit not determined. (Table 1).