Descriptions of new invertebrate fossils from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks of Arkansas, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah

PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 157

DESCRIPTIOIVS OF

^{1VE\^''}

I^ifVEKTEBKATE

F08§lIi:.S

FKOM THE

1T1ES©Z»SC

ANO CElVOZOaC BOCK!^ OF ARKANSAS, WYOMING,

COI^-

ORADO, AND UTAH.

By

C. A.

1¥HITE.

The

fossilsdescribedin the following paragraphs are

among

the col- lections of the National

Museum.

All except one species liave been selected for description from

among

the collections that •svere

made

underthe auspices of the surveys formerlyin charge, respectively,of Professor Powell, Dr.

Hayden, and

Captain Wheeler.

Two

of them, Callianassaulrichi

and

SpirorbisdicJchauti, are

embraced

ina small Col- lectionofCretaceousfossilssent tothe National

Museum

from nearLit- tle Eock, Ark.,

by

Mr. E. O. Ulrich, ofCincinnati, Ohio.

MOLLDSCA.

CONCHIFERA.

Genus PTERIA

Scopoli.

Subgenus OXYTOMA

Meek.

Pteeia (Oxytoma) eeecta

(sp. nov.).

Avicuhi linguiformisWMte, 187G (notSliuiaard),Powell'sRep.Geol. UiutaMts.,p. 95.

Shellrathersmall,appearingtobenearlyerect,buttheaxis isslightly oblique to the hinge-line; both valves convex,but the right one less

convex thantheleft; hinge-line long,

much

longerthantheaxiallength of the shell_; i^osterior

wing

large, its extremity acutely angular

and

moderately prominent; anterior

wing

comparatively large,prominent, obtuselypointed,definedfrom the

body

oftheshell

by

a sinus orfurrow

in bothvalves, thedirection ofwhich forms a slightly obtuse or nearly rightanglewith the hinge-line; front, exclusive of the anterior wing, nearlyperpendicular the margin forminga nearly regular curve from the front all the

way

around to the i^osterior side,

where

it is flexed with a

backward

carveto

meet

the extremity of thehinge-line;

umbones somewhat

prominent, especiallythat of theleftvalve. Surface having a nearly smooth appearance, but the lens revealsthe presence of some-

what

regularly disposed concentriclines.

Length

of hinge-line, 32 millimeters; axial length of the ^shell, 26 millimeters.

(Museum

No. 8771.)

This shell

was

formerlyreferred

by me

^{loc. cU.) to the Avicula^lingui-

form

is of Shumard, but it differs from that species

by

having larger wings, a

much

longerhinge-line,

and

a

much

lessoblique axis. It

may

be

compared

withP. (0.) salinensis White, Proc. U. ^{S. Nat. Mus., vol.}

ii,p. 296,pi. 5, figs. 1

and

2; butit differs in being lessrobust,having

proportionalJy larger wings, narrower body,

and

a

more

nearly erect axis.

Positionand locality.

— LowerPotato Valley, Southern Utah, whexeit

was

obtained

by

Prof. J.

W.

Powellfrom Cretaceousstrata.

Genus SOLEMYA Lamarck.

SOLEMYA

BILIX (sp.nOV.).

Shellabout

two and

a half times aslong as high,broader anteriorly thanposteriorly; both ends rounded, the posteriorone

more

narrowly sothanthe other5 bothdorsal

and

basalmarginsgentlyconvexornearly straight; test thin

and

fragile; valves moderatelyconvex from above

downward,

the greatest convexityin that direction being nearthedor-

sum

; beaks,having the usual inconspicuous character

common

to the genus, situatednearthe posterior end; ligament necessarily short,but apparentlywell develoi^ed,

and

resting

upon

a fulcrum of sui)portof the usual character in eachvalve. Surface bright and, besides the usual lines of growth,

marked by numerous

faint radiating lines, which are visible to the unassisted eye, but are satisfactorily seen onlyunder a

lens, nearlyimiformly distributed over the wholesurface, but

upon

the middleportion theyare arrangedin paii's.

Length, 20millimeters; height atthebroadestpart,whichis infront of the middle, 8millimetres.

(Museum

No.8913.)

Thisis plainlya characteristicspeciesof Solemya,but theonlyfossil specieswithwhich it need be

compared

is S. suhplicata

Meek & Hay-

den,from the

Fox

Hills Cretaceous of the

Upper

Missouri. It differs from,thatspeciesinbeingproportionallybroaderin front,inthecharac- ter

and

uniformity of distribution ofitsradiating strife, and inwanting the subplicate character of thefront portion.

The

extension of the epi-

dermis has notbeenobserved,butinother respectsthisspecies

may be compared

withthehving 8. velum

Say

in general form,

and

inthepair- ing of itsradiating lines.

Positionandlocality.

—

^{Cretaceousstrata,}associated withMactraliolmesii

{=Gyrenaf

^liolmesii Meek), about four miles north of Golden, Colo.,

where

it

was

obtained

by

Mr.

W.

H. Holmes. These strata were for- merly supposedto belong to the Lignite series (Laramie), butthey are marineCretaceous, as I have

shown

in

An.

Eep. U. S. Geol. Sur. Terr, for 1877,pp. 193-196.

Genus LUC IN A

^Bruguik'e.

LUCINA PKOFUNDA

(sp.nov.).

Shell subcircular or subpentahedral; valves not very convex; pos- teriorsidetruncate,narrower thantheanterior; basal borderhavingits

margin

more

abruptlyconvex atitsmiddle than towardsthefront

and

rear; dorsalmarginshort,nearlystraight; frontmarginliavinga nearly

PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 159

regular ciu-ve; beaks small, submedially located, distinct but incon- spicuous:

umboual

ridge slightlydeveloped, curved, passing near the dorsal

and

posteriorborders. Surface

marked by

the usual concentric linesof growth.

Length,20 milhmeters; height, from base to beaks, 18 millimeters.

(Museum

No.8362.)

Thisspeciesis readilyrecognizable

by

its comparatively

narrow

pos- teriorside, itsdeeplyconvex basal border,

and

slight convexityof the valves.

Positioncmd locality.

—

^{Cretaceousstrata.}

Monument

Creek, Colorado,

where

it

was

obtained

by

Dr. A. C. Peale.

GASTEROPODA.

Genus PLANORBIS

^Guettarcl.

Planorbis ^qualis

(sp. nov.).

Shell rather small, coiled nearly in a ^plane, ai)i)arently sinistral;

whorls apparently 4 or 5, in close contact but only shghtly involute, broadlyconvex

upon

the periphery,buttheir sides

more

narrowly con- vex,their transversediameter greaterthanthatwhichcorresponds with the plane of thecoil.

Surface

marked by

aconsiderable

number

ofrevolvingraised linesor slight angulations,which are crossed

by

the usuallines ofgrowth.

Diameterof the full coilof the largest example discovered, 6milli- meters.

(Museum

No.8909.)

Thisis apparently the onlyspecies of typical biumbilicate Planorhis that has yet beendiscovered

among

the fossil fresh-water faunjieof the

Western

region,

and

itthereforeneeds no detailed comi)arison.

Positionandlocality.

—

Green Eiver Group, Eocene, Henry's

Fork

of

Green

Eiver, Southern

Wyoming.

Subgenus GYRAULTJS

Agassiz.

PLAJ?fOEBis

(Gyeaulus)

militaris (sp. nov.).

Shellverysmall, dextral, depressed-convex above, umbilicatebelow

;

Tolutions

two and

ahalfto three

and

ahalf, convex onall sidesexcept theinner, which isvery narrowlyflattened against each precedingcoil;

suturedeeplyimpressedboth above

and

below; surface

marked by

com- paratively coarselines of growth.

Diameterof the full coilof the larger examples in the collection, 4 millimeters.

(Museum

No.S594.)

This form

was

noticed but not

named by me

in vol.iv, U. ^{S. Expl.}

&

^Sur.

West

of the 100th IMerid., p.210.

At

that timeI

was

notsat- isfied as tothematureconditionofthese shells,but

by

carefulexamina-

tioii of alarger

number

of examples there seems to be no reason for doubt

upon

thatpoint.

The

subgenus GyrauLushasnot heretoforebeenijublishedasoccurring

among

our large fossilpulmonatemolliiscan faunae of theWest, butat least two otherspeciesprobablyexist there,one inthe

Bear

Eiver(Lar- amie) strata,

and

the other inthose of theGreen River Group.

Positionand locality.

— Headof Soldiers'Fork,Utah,where they were obtained by oneof the parties of the surveyin charge of Lieutenant Wheeler. Thetrueage ofthe strataisnotatpresentdefinitelyknown, butit isunderstoodto beeitherthat of theupperportion of the Lara- mieorthe lower portion of the WahsatchGroup.

Genus LIMN^A Lamarck.

Subgenus LEPTOLIMi^EA

Swainson.

•

Li:mn^a (Leptolumnea) minuscula

(sp. nov.).

Shellrather small,moderately attenuate; spire

much

longerthanthe aperture; volutions six or seven,moderately convex, the distal border very narrowly appressed against each preceding coil; aperture small, elongate, subovate; columellar fold distinct, but not large. Surface

marked by

distinct lines of growth,but norevolving lines have been detected.

The

only

two

examplesof thisspecies that have beendiscovered are broken, butthe full length of the largeroneis estimatedat 9 millime- ters; diameter oflast volution, 3 millimeters; length of aperture, 3^

millimeters.

(Museum

No.8907.)

Position and locality.

— Fromstratabelonging to eitherthe basalpor- tionof the Green Elver Group or theupper portion oftheWahsatch Group, about three miles eastof TableEock Eailroadstation.Southern Wyoming,whereit isassociatedwith PlanorhiscirratusWhite,andalso a smallLimnreid thatisprobablyreferable toAcellaHaldeman.

Genus HELIX Linnaus.

Subgenus PATULA Haldeman.

Helix (Patula) sepulta

(sp. nov.).

"Shellconvex above; umbilicusmoderatelywide; volutions aboutsix,

convex

upon

^all sides except the inner; sutureimpressed; surfacereg- ularly but minutely ribbed, theribs having the

same

direction as the linesof growth.

Allthe examplesdiscovered aredistorted

by

pressure,butthe diam- eter ofthe fullcoilofthelargestexample

was

about 12 millimeters

and

its full heightabout 7millimeters.

(Museum

No. 8908.)

Positionandlocality.

— The coal-bearingseriesof strata at Evanston, Wyo., where it is associated with K. evansfonensis White and other forms. Thesestratabelong either to the upperpart ofthe Laramieor the loweri^ortionofthe Wahsatch Group.

PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 161

ARTICULATA.

VERMES.

Genus. SPIRORBIS Lamarck.

SPIEOKBIS?

DICKHAUTI

(sp. IIOY.).

Shell discoid, one side beingnearlyflat

and

the other broadly

um-

bilicate; volutionsaboutfive,partiallyembracingbutallof

them

visible,

somewhat

rugose but increasing in size with considerableregularity

;

peripheral side of the volutions flattened or gently convex, having a singlerevolving raisedline along its middle

and

another similarone at each border, whereit sharpens the angularity between the^•lateral

and

peripheral sides; outer portion of both the lateral sides of the volutions concave,

and

the inner portion convex, giving the last-named portiona greatertransverse diameter thanthe outerportion, the larger part of which is

embraced by

the next succeeding volution; aperture small, round,

and

apparently,but not really, contracted.

The

cavity beinground, the outer portion of thetest onlypartakes of the irregu- larity described,

and

seems to have beendeposited as an encrustation

upon

the first-formedinnerportion, that ofadjacent volutions seeming to blend,obscuring thesuture. Besides a considerabledegreeof rugosity, the surface shows under the lens a peculiar granular or rather an etched appearance.

Greatest diameter of thefull coil of the largestexample discovered, 9 millimeters; greatest diameter of the outer volution, near the aper- ture,2^ millimeters.

(Museum

No. 9073.)

Insize

and

general aspect this species resembles S.rotuhis

Morton

sp., from theCretaceous of

New

Jersey, but although doubtless con- generic, itdiffers from thatspecies inthe character of itssurface orna- mentation,

and

in having a round instead of quadrangularaperture.

This shell isreferredtotheshell-bearing

worms and

not tothe mollusca on account of thepeculiarcharacter of thetest. Itprobably does not strictly belong to the genus Spirorbis, but it isregarded as at least a closely relatedform.

Fosition and locality.

—

^{Cretaceous strata near Little Eock, Ark.,}

where it

was

obtained

by

Mr. E. O. Ulrich,

and

also

by

Mr. H. E.

Dickhaut, in

whose

honorthespecific

name

is given.

CRUSTACEA.

Genus CALLIANASSA Leach.

Callianassa uleichi

(sp. nov.).

Hand

quadrate,flattened; innerfaceless convex thanthe outer; both upper and lower edgesacute,tlielowerone

more

sothan the upper,

and

finely crenulate; fixed finger slender, plain, its transverse sectionsub- Proc. Nat. Mus.80 11

Auff. 24, 1880.

triangular, gently curved, shorter tlian thehand;

movable

fingerlarger

and

stronger thanthe fixedone,having"a moderatelystrongprominent ridge

upon

the innerside, between thefront

end

of

which and

the ex- tremity of thefingerthereissometimesadistincttooth.. Surface nearly smooth,but

some

examplesare granulateaboutthemiddle ofbothsides ofthe hand,

and

several small foraminaare observablealong the upper marginofthemovable finger.

Length

of hand, 13 millimeters; breadth, 10 millimeters; thickness, 4 milUmeters.

(Museum

No. 8910.)

Positionand locality.

—

^{This specieshasbeensentto theUnited States}

Il^ational

Museum by

Mr. E. O.Ulrich, in

whose

honorthe specific

name

isgiven.

He

obtainedit from Cretaceousstrata nearLittle Rock, Ark, Associated with it, besides certain characteristic Cretaceous mollusca, there are several separate

movable

fingerswhich x)lainlybelongto an- otherdecapod crustacean; but although complete in themselves, they constitutetoosmall a portionoftheanimalto satisfactorilybaseaspecific description

upon

them.