A revision of the Australian fossil species of Zoila (Gastropoda: Cypraeidae) 
21 
less developed lateral flanges and a less projecting spire. The 
posterior extremity was bent to the left. These differences in callus 
development are minor intraspecific variations, as the specimens 
illustrated in figs. 11-13 show. Schilder stated that it bore a 
resemblance to Z. consobrina and that it came from a younger 
horizon than the latter. In fact, the holotype of consobrina comes 
from the same stratigraphical horizon. 
Zoila gigas McCoy, 1867 
Figures 2B, 13E-H, 14A-H, 15A-E 
Cypraea gigas McCoy, 1867a: 18.— McCoy, 1867b: 194.— McCoy, 
1867c:438. 
Cypraea (Aricia) gigas McCoy.— McCoy, 1875:19, pi. 15; pi. 16, 
fig. 2; pis. 17-18, fig. 1; — McCoy, 1876, p. 35, pis. 28-29, fig. 1. 
Cypraea dorsata Tate, 1890:212.— Tate, 1892, pi. 10, fig. 4; pi. 11, 
fig .6. 
Cypraea (Erosaria) gigas McCoy.— Harris, 1897:208. 
Cypraea gabrieli Chapman, 1912:190, pi. 13, figs 1-3. 
Gisortia gigas (McCoy).— Vredenburg, 1927:58. 
Gisortia dorsata (Tate).— Vredenburg, 1927:58. 
? Gigantocypraea gigas (McCoy).— Schilder, 1930:126, fig. 34-5 
(cast). 
Zoila (Gigantocypraea) gigas (McCoy).— Schilder, 1935:337, 338, 
fig. 17. — Wilson and Clarkson, 2004:53, pi. 57. 
Zoila (Gigantocypraea) dorsata (Tate).— Schilder, 1935:337,338. 
Description. Shell solid, very large for genus, globose, covered 
with glaze, humped at dorsal midpoint of shell. Ventral surface 
flat to slightly concave on most specimens. Spire scarcely 
projecting, covered with thick callus. Four teleoconch whorls. 
Protoconch of two whorls, the first depressed, large, irregular, 
with finely granulated surface, coiled at an angle to axis of 
teleoconch whorls. Posterior canal bounded by very thick walls, 
deeply incised, strongly reflexed dorsally, deeply notched. 
Anterior canal short, about same length as posterior canal, narrow, 
deeply incised, strongly reflexed dorsally. Aperture very sinuous, 
widest at beginning of anterior canal; outer lip with 2-28 teeth, on 
most specimens only extending to midpoint of lip. Columellar lip 
edentulous. Fossula scarcely differentiated from columellar lip, 
relatively small, slightly depressed, somewhat rectangular, 
extending only slightly into aperture, bounded by very weak 
terminal ridge. 
Dimensions. 
L 
W 
H 
LT 
CT 
Lectotype P12139 
212 
143 
109 
8 
- 
SAMT849 
99 
76 
65 
7 
- holotype C. 
dorsata 
P12366 
135 
98 
72 
- 
- holotype C. 
gabrieli 
Figured specimen 
P13060 
167 
108 
90 
18 
- Grices Creek 
Figured specimen 
P308774 
197 
138 
98 
12 
- 
P308679 
145 
102 
91 
P12969 
247 
174 
126 largest specimen in 
collection. 
Type locality. 'Blue clay of Muddy Creek, 10 miles south of 
Hamilton’, (i.e. PL3082 Clifton Bank, Muddy Creek, 7 km west 
of Hamilton, Victoria). AMG Coleraine WD 818225. Muddy 
Creek Formation. Balcombian, Middle Miocene. 
Type material. Lectotype PI2139, presented Lindsay Clarke. 
McCoy’s figured specimen chosen as lectotype. 
Holotype of Cypraea dorsata Tate, SAM T849, Muddy 
Creek, Ralph Tate collection. 
Holotype of Cypraea gabrieli Chapman, P12366, Bird 
Rock cliffs, presented by C J. Gabriel, 3 April 1912. 
Figured specimen P13060, presented W.H. Gregson 14 
April 1919; figured specimen P308774, collected F.P. Spry 
1922. 
Time range. Janjukian-Baimsdalian, Late Oligocene-Middle 
Miocene. 
Occurrence and material. Janjukian. Jan Juc Formation: Bird 
Rock cliffs, Torquay (P308679, P308801, one specimen and one 
fragment); Deadmans Gully, Torquay (P315577, one specimen). 
Batesfordian. 
Gellibrand Formation: PL3047 cutting Princetown- 
Simpson Road (P308786, one fragment). 
Balcombian 
Muddy Creek Formation: Muddy Creek (PI2969, P219370, 
P61265, P308774, P308794, P308780, P308772-3, 11 
specimens); PL3082 Clifton Bank (P308776, P308795, two 
specimens). 
Gellibrand Formation: Southeast of Gibson Beach (P54362, 
P308682, two specimens). 
Fyansford Formation: PL3078 Fossil Beach (P308677, 
308779 two specimens); Balcombe Bay (P308683-5, three 
specimens); Momington (P308782, one specimen); Schnapper 
Point (P24866, P30777-8, three specimens); Port Phillip 
(P308781, one specimen); Altona Bay Coal Shaft (P308787, 
one fragment); Batesford (P308790, one specimen); 
Overburden, Batesford Quarry (P303315, one specimen and 
one fragment); Orphanage Hill (P308784, one specimen). 
Morgan Limestone: Broken Cliffs opposite Waikerie, 
Murray River Cliffs, South Australia (private collection, 
Mannum). 
Bairnsdalian 
Gellibrand Formation: Glenample Steps (P308771, one 
specimen); Princetown (P5288, one specimen). 
Fyansford Formation: Grices Creek (P5286, PI 2968, 
P12970, P13060, P308681, five specimens); Middle beds, 
Grices Creek (P3 08680, one specimen); Murgheboluc 
(P308678, one specimen). 
Casts of a large cowry — which, due to their size, are 
almost certainly this species — have been found as follows: 
Longfordian? 
Gambier Limestone: Mount Gambier (P61262, one 
specimen, BM(NH) one specimen). 
Batesfordian. 
Curlewis Limestone: Curlewis (P308806, one specimen). 
Balcombian 
Nullarbor Limestone: 5 km south of Watson Station, South 
Australia (P316748, one specimen). 
