B. M. Landau & L. T. Groves 
Cypraeidae from the early Miocene of northem Venezuela 
Genus Trôna .lousseaume, 1884 
Type species: Cypraea stercoraria Linnaeus, 1758, by 
original désignation. 
Discussion. The généra Trôna and Macrocypraea 
Schilder, 1930, traditionally considered to be closely 
related and within the Cypraeinae (Lorenz & Hubert, 
2000) were shown by Meyer (2004) to belong to 
different subfamilies; Trôna within the Luriinae and 
Macrocypraea within the Cypraeinae. The shell 
characteristics of the two généra are quite different. 
Macrocypraea has a rather light shell, as opposed to 
the very heavy shell of Trôna. The shell of 
Macrocypraea is elongate rather than globose, they 
rarely hâve a marginal callus as opposed to the heavy 
callus seen in most Trôna species, the base is far less 
flattened than in Trôna , the apertures are wide with 
spiny extremities, not seen in Trôna, and the shape of 
the anterior expansion of the aperture is quite 
different. The fossula in Macrocypraea is not as large 
or spoon-shaped, nor as strongly sculptured as in 
Trôna and the terminal ridge is much more prominent 
in Macrocypraea. 
The genus Trôna was previously represented by a 
single subspecies in the Western Hemisphere. Dolin 
(1991) described Trôna leporina calhounensis from 
the Chipola Formation of Florida based on two 
specimens. Trôna is also a characteristic component 
within the European Miocene cypraeid fauna. Trôna 
leporina (Lamarck, 1810) from contemporary late 
early Miocene (Burdigalian) deposits in France 
(Moulin de Cabannes, St Paul-les-Dax, Landes, 
France; BL coll.) differs from T. leporina 
calhounensis in having a less basally flattened shell, a 
thicker marginal callus and thicker anterior channel 
callus, a more rounded inner lip, a poorly developed 
basal angulation with narrow adapical denticles, 
fossula sculptured with altemate interrupted ridges 
and rows of pustules, more rounded outer lip, and 
shorter adapical denticles. Specimens from the early 
Burdigalian of Le Peloua, France (BL coll), seem 
slightly different, more ovate with rows of very small 
pustules on the fossula. Dolin (1991) commented on 
these small différences in fossular sculpture between 
populations and postulated these may be an expression 
of ecophenotypic variation or reproductive isolation 
and opted to name the Chipola Formation shells T. 
leporina calhounensis a subspecies of the European 
taxon without implying a close phylogenetic link 
between the two populations. This approach is 
confusing and in view of the taxonomie problems still 
to be resolved within the European populations and 
the presence of additional species in the Caribbean 
Neogene we consider this taxon distinct at full spécifie 
rank. Trôna trinitatensis (Mansfield, 1925) is found 
in the early and middle Miocene of Venezuela, 
Trinidad, and Carriacou, Grenadine Islands, Lesser 
Antilles. Trôna trinitatensis differs from T. ingrami 
and T. calhounensis in having a smaller, more 
elongated shell, in having much less sinuous and 
narrower aperture, and somewhat more crowded teeth 
on both labral and columellar sides (see below under 
Trôna trinitatensis) 
Trôna ingranti n. sp. 
Text-figure 3; Figs 58-70 
Dimensions and type material. Holotype; NMB 
H18402, height 53.1 mm (Figs 58-60); paratype 1 
NHMW 2010/0036/0008, height, 48.2 mm (Figs 61- 
64); paratype 2 NHMW 2010/0036/0009, height, 47.2 
mm (Figs 65-68); paratype 3 NHMW 
2010/0036/0010, height, 49.7 mm (Figs 69-70). 
Other material. 3 specimens NMB coll.; 18 
specimens BL coll.; 1 specimen DFB, no. 6578. 
Type locality. lower shell bed, 1 km Southwest of 
Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo, 
Falcôn State, Venezuela (=locality GSI2PGNA of 
Gibson-Smith & Gibson-Smith, 1979). 
Type stratum. Cantaure Formation (early Miocene: 
Burdigalian). 
Figures 58-77 
58-6°. Trôna ingrami n. sp. Holotype NMB H18402 (NMB coll.), length 53.1 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km 
Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn State, Venezuela; 
61-64. Trôna ingrami n. sp. Paratype 1 NHMW 2010/0036/0008 (NMMW; ex. BL coll. no. 9), length 48.2 mm. 
ower shell bed 1 km Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, 
a con 8tate, Venezuela; 65-68. Trôna ingrami n. sp. Paratype 2 NHMW 2010/0036/0009 (NMMW; ex. BL 
co . no. 10), length 47.2 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo 
?nm/?trr!ailnn,77? U1 a ' Fa ' c ° n State > Venezuela; 69-70. Trôna ingrami n. sp. Paratype 3 NHMW 
c . . , | ex - BL colb no - 15 )> length 49.7 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km Southwest of Casa 
V , le ', a ’ l | t - km West of Puebl ° Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn State, Venezuela; 71-73. Trôna 
Casa Tanta'' a J^ s Ie d» 1925) NMB H18403 (NMB coll.), length 33.3 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km Southwest of 
tri ni tnt rn, .P 7 West of Pllebl ° Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn State, Venezuela; 74-77. Trôna 
LTfr o m"" ! ÎV 925 P NHMW 2010/0036/0011 (NMMW; ex. BL coll.), length 33.0 mm. lower shell 
Venezuela Cantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn State, 
14 
