Teleochilus balcombensis

Teleochilus balcombensis is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Raphitomidae.^[1] Fossils of the species date to the middle Miocene, and have been found in strata of the Port Phillip Basin of Victoria, Australia.

Teleochilus balcombensis Temporal range: Middle Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Holotype from Auckland War Memorial Museum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Family:	Raphitomidae
Genus:	Teleochilus
Species:	†T. balcombensis
Binomial name
†Teleochilus balcombensis Powell, 1944

Description

Reverse view of holotype

In the original description, Powell described the species as follows:

Shell of moderate size, slender, subcylindrical, but with the spire-whorls noticeably convex. Aperture about half height of shell. Post-nuclear sculpture of 8-9 flat-topped, moderately strong cords, with inter-spaces averaging half their width. Two to four cords on the median area of the body-whorl are bifurcated by a linear groove. There are 26 primary cords on the body-whorl. Shoulder sulcus distinct, situated below the first subsutural cord. Axial sculpture of weak, wide-spaced folds on first 2-3 whorls.^[2]

The holotype of the species measures 18 mm (0.71 in) in height and 6 mm (0.24 in) in diameter.^[2]

Taxonomy

The species was first described by A.W.B. Powell in 1944.^[2] The holotype was collected from Fossil Beach of Balcombe Bay, Mornington, Victoria at an unknown date prior to 1944, and is held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum.^[3][4]

Distribution

This extinct marine species dates to the middle Miocene (Balcombian), and occurs in the strata of the Port Phillip Basin of Victoria, Australia, including the Gellibrand Formation.^[3][5]