Fossil Freshwater Mollusks from Oregon 

 GENUS: VOBTICIFEX MEEK 



Vortifex Meek, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1870, p. 59. Type, Carinifex 

 (Vortifex) tryoni Meek, new species. Proposed as subgenua of Carinife* 

 Binney. 



Vorticifex Meek, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N, Y. Vol. 9, p. 353, 1870. Corree- 

 tion of Vortifex, originally misspelled. (Vide Scudder, Nomen. Zool. Bull. 

 19, U. S. Nat. Museum, p. 352, and pt. 2, p. 335, 1882.) 



Vorticifex Meek, Tryon, Am. Journ. Conch. Vol. 6, pt. 3, p. 285, April, 

 1871. Review of Meek's paper. Vortifex corrected to Vorticifex and Carini- 

 fex tryoni stated to be the type. 



Vorticifex Meek, U. S. Geol. Surv. 40th parallel, Vol. 4, p. 187, 1877. 

 Subgenus described and binneyi and tryoni both placed therein. 



Vorticifex Meek, Call, Am. Geol. Vol. 1, p. 148, 1880. Genus formally 

 described and Carinifex binneyi Meek designated as type, but wrongly. 



Vorticifex, Dall, Harriman Alaska Exp. Vol. 13, p. 63, 1905. (A modifi- 

 cation of Carinifex due to lake waters becoming alkaline.) 



This genus was proposed by Meek for some shells which were 

 collected in Nevada by the U. S. Geological Survey under Clarence 

 King. Authorities have differed somewhat in the designation of 

 the type species but I think there can be no question that V. tryoni 

 is the proper one. Meek named two species and two subspecies 

 but later consideration led him to suspect that all were the same. 

 His original material seems not to have been subsequently studied 

 nor does it appear that any collector has revisited the type locality. 

 The chief distinguishing features of the genus are (1), lack of 

 carinae, either at periphery, suture or around umbilicus; (2) much 

 rounder body whorl than Carinifex; and (3) much less triangular 

 aperture than Carinifex. The following are the names which have 

 been assigned to the genus: tryoni Meek, tryoni ventricosa Meek, 

 tryoni concava Meek, binneyi Meek, and condoni, new species. In 

 addition to these there are certainly two others represented in the 

 eastern Oregon deposits now under consideration but the specimens 

 are too fragmentary for description or naming. 



VORTICIFEX BINNEYI (MEEK) 

 Plate 4, figures 6, 7, and 8 



Carinifex binneyi Meek, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1870, p. 59. "Fossil 

 Hill, Hotspring Mountains, Idaho Terr. Apparently of Miocene or later age." 



Carinifex (Vorticifex) binneyi Meek, U. S. Geol. Surv. 40th parallel, Vol. 

 4, p. 187, pi. 17, figs. 11, lla, 1877. Locality corrected to "Fossil Hill, Kawsoh 

 Mountains, Nevada." 



Vorticifex binneyi Meek, Call, Am. Geol. Vol. 1, p. 148, fig. 6, 1880. For- 

 mal description of genus Vorticifex given and the species binneyi cited as type 

 but this action was untenable as explained elsewhere. 



Carinifex (Vorticifex) binneyi Meek, White, 3rd Ann. Rep. U. S. Geol. 

 Surv., p. 448, pi. 32, figs. 5, 6, 1883. General account of the species and ita 

 locality. 



Pompholyx (Carinifex) binneyi Meek, Hannibal, Proc. Mai. Soe. London, 

 Vol. 10, p. 163, 1912. Recorded from "Eocene: Truckee Lake beds, Nevada; 

 Payette Lake beds, Idaho." 



Shell large and robust, composed of 3 to 4 whorls, apex slightly 

 raised above plane of body whorl. Suture usually channeled; 



m 



