B. M. Landau & L. T. Groves 
Cypraeidae from the early Miocene of northem Venezuela 
specimen 
collection number 
length 
width 
height 
LT 
CT 
Holotype (Figs 88-91 ) 
NHMW 2010/0036/0015 
17.2 
1 1.7 
9.1 
20 
19 
Paratype 1 (Figs 92-93) 
NHMW 2010/0036/0016 
17.8 
1 1.5 
9.0 
22 
20 
Paratype 2 (Figs 94-95) 
NHMW 2010/0036/0017 
16.1 
11.0 
8.3 
22 
20 
Table 8. Dimensions and number of teeth; Propustularia paraguanensis n. sp. 
Text-fïgure 7. Propustularia paraguanensis n. sp. 
Holotype NHMW 2010/0036/0015 (NMMW coll.; ex. 
BL coll.), length 17.2 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km 
Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west of 
Pueblo Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn State, 
Venezuela. 
Discussion. Propustularia paraguanensis n. sp. 
differs from P. longidentata n. sp. in its less 
posteriorly swollen shell shape, more strongly 
sculptured fossula and shorter teeth on both labral and 
columellar sides. There is no trace of the callus bridge 
so prominently developed in P. longidentata. 
Propustularia bartschi (Ingram, 1939) (holotype; Figs 
155-156) from the early Pleistocene of Costa Rica is 
rnost similar to paratype 2 of P. paraguanensis (Figs 
94-95) in overall shape but the widest portion of the 
shell is more posterior in P. bartschi. The dentition 
seems to be the same in ail of the figured type 
specimens but the aperture is most similar to paratype 
1 (Figs 92-93). In the latéral views P. bartschi is much 
more tapered towards the anterior than P. 
paraguanensis. 
Etymology. named after the Paraguanâ Peninsula, 
location of the Cantaure deposits. 
Geological and geographical distribution. 
Lower Miocene: Cantaure Formation, Venezuela 
Subfamily ZONARIINAE Schilder, 1932 
Genus Zonaria Jousseaume, 1884 
Type species: Cypraea zonaria Gmelin, 1791, by 
original désignation. 
Zonaria is tranditonally assigned to the subfamily 
Erroneinae Schilder, 1927. However, based on 
mitochondrial molecular data Meyer (2004) 
demonstrated that the genus belongs within a separate 
group; Zonariinae Schilder, 1932. Zonaria is 
characterized by species with oval to pyriform, small 
to moderate-sized shells, the teeth are fine and widely 
spaced, the fossula is much reduced, the columellar 
area is smooth, the callus collar surrounding the 
siphonal canal is well-developed and the colour 
pattern consists of marginal spotting and a dorsum 
with irregular or interrupted mottled banding. Zonaria 
has been known in Europe since the early Miocene 
and is distributed today in the Mediterranean and West 
Africa (Lorenz & Hubert, 2000). Groves (1997) 
reported the genus in the Pacific tropical American 
Neogene assemblages with the description of Z. 
pittorum Groves, 1997 (holotype; Figs 157-158) from 
the early Pliocène Esmeraldas beds of the Onzole 
Formation of Ecuador. Later Groves & Nielsen 
(2003) described Z. frassinetti (Figs 159-160) from the 
early late Miocene, Tortonian of Chile which is here 
reassigned to the genus Pseudozonaria. There is an 
additional species of Zonaria from the Neogene of the 
Dominican Republic, which awaits publication (BL 
coll.; unpublished data). The genus has also been 
recorded from the middle Miocene of the Madeira 
Archipelago (Lorenz & Groh, 1998). 
Figures 96-111 
96-99. Zonariapingata n. sp. Holotype NHMW 2010/0036/0018 (NMMW; ex. BL coll.), length 45.8 mm. lower 
s e bed, 1 km Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn 
State, Venezuela; 100-103. Pseudozonariapraeaequinoctialis n. sp. Holotype NHMW 2010/0036/0019 
(NMMW, ex. BL coll.), length j 2.3 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 10 km west 
u i UË ff 0 ’ ^ ara ë uan:l Peninsula, Falcôn State, Venezuela; 104-107. Pseudozonaria primarobertsi n. sp. 
^ * 8364 (NMB coll.), length 22.7 mm. lower shell bed, I km Southwest of Casa Cantaure, about 
km west of Pueblo Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn State, Venezuela; 108-111. Pseudozonaria 
I l imaio ieitsi n. sp. Paratype 1 NMB H18365 (NMB coll.), length 21.3 mm. lower shell bed, 1 km Southwest of 
uasa Lantaure, about 10 km west of Pueblo Nuevo, Paraguanâ Peninsula, Falcôn State, Venezuela. 
22 
