Cenozoic Muricidae of the Western Atlantic Region Part VIII - Murex S.S., Haustellum, Chicoreus, and Hexaplex; Additions and Corrections

Abstract

A total of 165 names have been applied to western Atlantic species referred herein to the muricid genera Murex s.s., Haustellum, Hexaplex, and Chicoreus, including its four subgenera:  Chicoreus s.s., Siratus, Phyllonotus, and Naquetia.  Of these, 101 are valid and are treated systematically;  however, the two species of Murex s.s. present are only questionably referred to the western Atlantic fauna. Of the remaining 99 valid species there are 16 of Haustellum, 22 of Chicoreus s.s., 28 of Siratus , 19 of Phyllonotus , one of Naquetia, and 13 of Hexaplex. Of these 99 species, eight occur in Eocene beds, with the oldest known from the Middle Eocene Weches Formation of Texas; seven occur in Oligocene beds; 31 in Miocene formations; and 46 in Plio-Pleistocene strata. There are 42 species in the Recent fauna, but only 18 are confined to the Recent, the remainder are both living and fossil. Of this number 9 are new species and are named herein. They are: Haustellum mimiwilsoni, from the Cumana Formation of Venezuela and the Rio Banano Formation of Costa Rica; Chicoreus (Chicoreus) jungi, from the Grand Bay Formation, Carriacou, West Indies; Chicoreus (Chicoreus) veronica and Chicoreus (Siratus ) habros , from the Agueguexquite Formation, Mexico ; Chicoreus (Siratus) miltos, from the Concepcion Inferior Formation, Mexico; 1 Chicoreus (Siratus) sextoni and Chicoreus (Phyllonotus) louisae, from the Chipola Formation, Florida; Chicoreus (Phyllonotus) initialis, from the Weches Formation, Texas; and Hexaplex isthmicus, from the Gatun Formation, Panama.