The Naticidae (Gastropoda, Naticoidea) of the Miocene Paratethys Sea–unraveling 160 years of species lumping

We document 59 Naticidae species from the Early, Middle and Late Miocene of the Eurasian Paratethys Sea. These species are placed in 13 genera, of which Figovina nov. gen., Pseudolinices nov. gen., Robbanacca nov. gen. and Tethynices nov. gen. are introduced as new genera. The Naticinae genus Cochlis and the Polinicinae Euspira experienced considerable radiations. Naticid species richness in the Central Paratethys was highest during the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum of the Langhian, reaching 35 species. This diversity is comparable to that of modern tropical eastern Atlantic naticids along West Africa. The subsequent cooling of the Miocene Climate Transition caused a decline of species numbers to 15 species, comparable to that of the modern Mediterranean Sea. The Miocene Eastern Paratethys harbored a much lower diversity without autochthonous radiations. Cochlis cuniculata nov. sp., Cochlis degregorioi nov. sp., Cochlis gebhardti nov. sp., Cochlis micromillepunctata nov. sp., Cochlis neoobscura nov. sp., Cochlis paragigantica nov. sp., Cochlis pseudoprotracta nov. sp., Cochlis zachosi nov. sp., Naticarius lucapedrialii nov. sp., Euspira amitrovi nov. sp., Euspira incus nov. sp., Euspira merlei nov. sp., Euspira moravica nov. sp., Euspira vinitor nov. sp., Euspira vohlandae nov. sp., Euspira wagramensis nov. sp., Figovina yasenivensis nov. sp., Payraudeautia profunda nov. sp., Sigaretotrema vindobonense nov. sp., and Sinum magnificum nov. sp. are described as new species. Tectonatica scutaria nov. nom. and Eunaticina martingrossi nov. nom. are introduced as new names for Natica transgrediens elata Schaffer, 1912 [non Bucquoy, Dautzenberg & Dollfus, 1883] and Natica hoernesi Hilber, 1879 [non Fischer & Tournouër, 1873], respectively. The unexpectedly high number of new species can be explained by the tendency of earlier authors to lump morphologically similar forms and to uncritically identify them as ‘Natica millepunctata’ and ‘Euspira helicina’, especially as these species did not even occur in the Paratethys Sea. Our analysis clearly documents the importance of revisions of larger taxonomic units for estimating past biodiversity.

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