B. M. Landau & L. T. Groves 
Cypraeidae from the early Miocene of northem Venezuela 
Description. Shell small for genus, solid, 
subcylindrical, slightly posteriorly swollen, in latéral 
profile dorsal curvature regularly attenuated 
abapically, spire involute, covered by adapical callus; 
sides rounded, callused, the callus extending to l A 
height; ventrum flattened, very slightly convex in 
profile at the extremities; aperture straight, weakly 
curved to the left in the posterior portion, anteriorly 
somewhat dilated by hemispherical expansion on the 
labrum; siphonal canal deep and narrow, abaxially 
asymmetrical and abapically orthogonally truncated; 
exhalant channel deep and narrow, limited by parailel 
lips; 25-30 very short columellar teeth running deep 
into the aperture from the angulation across the 
columellar peristome, but not onto the ventrum; 
angulation relatively sharp; terminal ridge weakly 
developed, merged into abapical edge; fossula well- 
delimited from the columellar peristome by an oblique 
ridge, spoon-like, concave, strongly ridged, ridges 
ending as denticles at its inner edge; columella 
peristome very steep, ridged; 20-25 very short, sharp, 
labral teeth, abapically teeth not stretched out onto 
constricted, depressed, hemicircular area; teeth 
extending across inner portion of lip, but not 
extemally onto the labrum; colour pattern indicating 
preserved spots on margins and rings on the dorsum 
(Fig. 49). 
Shell Formula. 25.8 (64.7 - 51.6) 27: 25 
Specimen 
collection number 
Length 
Width 
height 
LT 
CT 
holotype (Figs 45-49) 
NHMW 2010/0036/0005 
27.7 
17.0 
14.2 
30 
24 
paratype 1 (Figs 50-53) 
NHMW 2010/0036/0006 
26.6 
16.9 
13.4 
28 
25 
paratype 2 
NHMW 2010/0036/0007 
26.4 
17.2 
14.1 
24 
27 
BL coll. 4 
28.8 
17.6 
14.2 
29 
25 
BL coll. 5 
27.9 
17.2 
12.8 
26 
25 
BL coll. 6 
26.3 
15.9 
13.1 
28 
# 
BL coll. 7 
22.1 
15.0 
11.4 
23 
# 
Table 4. Dimensions and number of teeth; Luria isabellaprimitiva n. sp. 
Text-figure 2. Luria isabellaprimitiva n. sp. Holotype 
NHMW 2010/0036/0005 (NMMW coll; ex. BL coll.), 
length 27.7 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km Southwest of 
Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo, 
Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn State, Venezuela. 
Discussion. Luria isabellaprimitiva n. sp. differs from 
its Cantaure Formation congener L. cantaurana n. sp. 
in having a smaller, more subcylindrical shell, with 
shorter extremities, and a smaller, deeper fossula. The 
colour pattern is somewhat unusual in consisting of 
circles, similar to that seen in the Recent Arestorides 
argus (Linnaeus, 1758). This is not a colour pattern 
présent in any living or fossil species of Luria. The 
ocellated spots are not very clear and only visible on 
part of the holotype, and not on any of the paratypes. 
If this pattern were found on more specimens 
placement within the genus Arestorides Iredale, 1930 
might be supported, although there is no record so far 
of this genus in the American Neogene to Recent 
faunas. 
Figures 29-44 
29-32. Muracypraea grahami (Ingram, 1947) NHMW 2010/0036/0029 (NMMW; ex. BL coll.), length 63.2 
taya Formation, Cubagua Group, early Pliocène, Canon de las Calderas, Cubagua Island, Nueva Esparta State, 
Venezuela; 33-36. Troua trinitatensis (Mansfield, 1925). UCMP 35536, holotype of Cypraea fossula Ingram, 
p engt p mm - 1 km Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo, Paraguanâ 
tNMvrw’ t a c D ° i n State ’ Venezuela; 37-40. Luria cantaurana n. sp. Holotype NHMW 2010/0036/0002 
fp ,, coll.), length 56.0 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west 
NHMW^nuwînumAnTH^ Peninsula, Falcôn State, Venezuela; 41-44. Luria cantaurana n. sp. Paratype 1 
C™" 2 T , , „ (NM „ MW; «• BL co,1 -)> length 42.0 mm. lower Shell bed, I km Southwest ofCasa 
. out 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo. Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcbn State, Venezuela. 
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