A new species of the extinct land snail genus Ferussina has been identified from a complete specimen found in Hațeg Basin, Romania.
The newly-described species belongs to Ferussina, a small extinct genus of land snails known from the Paleogene period of Europe.
The genus is currently classified in its own family, Ferussinidae, in the superfamily Cyclophoroidea.
Named Ferussina petofiana, the new species lived during the Maastrichtian age of the Late Cretaceous epoch, some 72 million yeas ago.
“Ferussina was until now recorded only from Paleogene (Middle Eocene to Upper Oligocene and maybe to Upper Miocene) deposits of Western Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, northern Italy),” said Dr. Barna Páll-Gergely from the HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research and colleagues.
“The new species is the oldest, as well as the easternmost representative of its genus.”
The shell of Ferussina petofiana was 10.8 mm in diameter and 4.4 mm in height.
“The shell is depressed with flat base, domed dorsal surface, and rounded or slightly shouldered body whorl,” the paleontologists said.
“Last ca. quarter whorl turns upright, elevating higher than apex.”
The only specimen of Ferussina petofiana was found in the Densuș-Ciula Formation in Romania.
“Ferussina petofiana was discovered in uppermost Cretaceous deposits cropping out in the neighborhood of Vălioara village, in the northwestern corner of Hațeg Basin, in western Romania,” the researchers said.
“These deposits are primarily known for their fossil vertebrate fauna which includes dwarf dinosaurs first described more than a century ago, although rare invertebrates and plants have also been reported from them.”
The discovery of Ferussina petofiana represents an important range extension for the genus Ferussina, and adds it to the brief list of European groups that appear to have survived the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event.
“The occurrence of Ferussina in layers of Maastrichtian age,…
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