Acrilla cuisensis is an extinct species of marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the family Epitoniidae, commonly known as wentletraps. The species is known only from fossil records and was first described by the French paleontologist Édouard de Boury in 1887.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Mollusca
- Class: Gastropoda
- Superfamily: Epitonioidea
- Family: Epitoniidae
- Genus: Acrilla H. Adams, 1860
- Species: Acrilla cuisensis (de Boury, 1887)
The original combination was Scala (Acrilla) cuisensis de Boury, 1887, later reassigned to the genus Acrilla (MolluscaBase).
Geological and Geographic Occurrence
Fossils of Acrilla cuisensis have been recovered from Eocene‑age sedimentary deposits of the Paris Basin in France. The species is thus considered part of the Eocene marine fauna of north‑central Europe.
Morphology
As a member of the wentletraps, the shell of Acrilla cuisensis would have been high‑spired with numerous whorls and characteristic axial ribs. Detailed morphological descriptions are limited to the original taxonomic literature (de Boury, 1887).
Paleoenvironment
The species is recorded as occurring in marine settings, with some database entries also noting possible presence in brackish or freshwater environments, though the primary evidence points to a marine habitat.
Synonymy and Taxonomic Status
The name Acrilla cuisensis is currently accepted, while earlier combinations such as Scala (Acrilla) cuisensis are considered superseded. The species is listed as extinct (†) in contemporary taxonomic databases (e.g., MolluscaBase, GBIF).
References
- de Boury, E. (1887). Description de Scalidae nouveaux des couches Éocènes du Bassin de Paris, et révision de quelques espèces mal connues. Théméricourt.
- MolluscaBase. “Acrilla cuisensis (de Boury, 1887).” Accessed 2024. https://www.molluscabase.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1767788.
- GBIF. “Acrilla cuisensis de Boury, 1887.” https://www.gbif.org/species/11570023.
- Wikipedia contributors. “Acrilla cuisensis.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrilla_cuisensis.