C. contorta Nob. — Basterot 1825: 47, pl. 2, figs 3a–b.
Cancellaria (Merica) contorta Basterot 1825 — Hölzl 1958: 260, pl. 21, fig. 14.
Cancellaria (Merica) contorta Basterot — Hölzl 1973: 172.
Cancellaria (Merica) contorta Basterot — Hölzl 1973: 194.
Contortia contorta (Basterot, 1825) — Cahuzac et al. 2004: 254, figs 8L–U [cum syn.].
Type material. the whereabouts of the type material are unknown; Davoli (1982) proposed a Burdilaglian specimen from Saint-Paul-lès-Dax (France) illustrated by Peyrot (1928) as plesiotype.
Discussion. This species is known in the Paratethys only from Bavaria (Hölzl, 1958). The preservation of the material is always rather poor and the identifications have to be considered with caution. In respect to the variability of this species, as presented by Cahuzac et al. (2004), the Bavarian shells with relatively prominent axial ribs range well within C. contorta.
Distribution. A very common species during the Early Miocene from the North East Atlantic to the Paratethys.
North East Atlantic —Early Miocene: Aquitaine Basin (France: Aquitaine Basin). Proto –Mediterranean Sea — Burdigalian: Colli Torinesi: (Italy). Paratethys —Eggenburgian and Ottnangian: North Alpine Foreland Basin (Bavaria: Gernergraben, Kaltenbachgraben).