Pseudotritonium laubei (Kittl, 1894)
Laube (1868) identified one specimen as P. venustum, which later Kittl interpreted as a new species Pseudotritonium laubei (Kittl, 1894: 238, pl. 11, fig. 11; Fig. 3D herein). After comparing this specimen (Fig. 3D) to the lectotype of P. venustum (Fig. 3B) and to the specimen illustrated and identified by Zardini as P. venustum (Zardini 1978: 54, pl. 38, fig. 10; Fig. 3C herein), we conclude that they belong to two distinct species. They differ in ornamentation, where P. laubei has spiral cords of two orders and P. venustum displays spiral cords of only one order. Moreover, the inner lip of P. laubei is wide, while in P. venustum it is rather narrow. Zardini’s specimen appears to have a damaged inner lip, what could have inclined him to identify it as P. venustum. Otherwise, the shell shape of these two species is very similar and they are very difficult to tell apart when the preservation is imperfect.
Publication Date: 2024-12-18