Moving between continents one realises the amount of stuff collected over a lifetime. I really need to lighten the load, while I may part with the objects, the memories of many happy hours spent collecting them will remain forever.

These gastropods were collected from the Gánt bauxite mine shortly after it ceased production in the late nineteen eighties. The silty clays of the Forna formation was once a brackish near-shore environment in the Lutetian-Bartonian (middle Eocene), with a unique gastropod fauna that makes it along Barton and the Paris basin one of the key European Eocene localities. Unfortunately most of the mine has since been re-cultivated, and the fossil beds are no longer exposed except for a small preserved section that is now part of a mining museum where no collection is allowed. This is a rare opportunity to obtain a representative sample from this important locality.

Note that collecting was mostly possible from the spoil heaps of the mine where the clay covering the bauxite was removed, finding completely intact specimens of the larger species was extremely rare, most collected material was damaged to some degree, with apex and aperture usually found broken, even in museum specimens.

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This assemblage of 88 gastropods and bivalves covers almost the full range of  species I have ever found at this locality, including a number or rarities:

1: Certhium subcorvinum

The largest species found in the Forna formaton, with adults growing to 10-12 cm. Unfortunately aperture invariably found broken, I'm not aware of any complete specimen from Gánt even in museums. Composite adult and sub-adult, and four complete  juveniles.

2: Tympanotonus calcaratus

The prettiest of the four local Tympanotonus species, unfortunately very fragile, even semi-complete specimens are rare, one mostly finds fragments. Larger and smaller composite adults.

3: Tympanotonus hungaricus

The most common species of the locality, however usually found broken, complete specimens are rare. A two large composite adult specimens, a perfect complete adult of the more robust variety (previously T. hantkeni, but now considered a variation of the same species), a two sub-adults and a juvenile.  

4: Potamides corrugatus

The second most common species of the locality, with better preservation than the other Tympanotonus species, these are mostly found complete. Adult, sub-adult and juvenile specimens.

5: Tympanotonus diaboli

For some reason the Gánt examples of this species are very hard to distinguish from P. corrugatus, elsewhere they show a markedly different shell pattern. (P. corrugatus has three spiral bands that are traceable till the final whorl, while T. diaboli only has transverse ridges). They are quite rare in comparison to the other species. Adult and sub-adult specimens.

6: Clavilithes noa

Juveniles very common, but there must have been some predation as sub-adults and adults are very rare. Large composite adult,  sub-adult and three juveniles.

7: Cantharus brongniarti

A fairly common robust species with the best preservation of all, usually found complete. Adult, sub-adult and two juveniles.

8: Tympanotonus rozlozsniki

Rarest of the four Tympanotonus species, unique to this locality. Composite  adult and a near complete sub-adult specimens.

9: Ampulina perusta

A common species, but rare to find complete larger ones, fully grown adults are usually in fragments. A rare large near-complete adult, sub-adult and three juveniles.

10: Globularia incompleta

One of the rarer species, even juveniles are very fragile so mostly found as fragments, complete specimens are rare. Adult and two juvenile specimens.

11: Deshayesia alpina

One of the rarer species, over several years I have only found a few. Adult and sub-adult specimens.

12: Pyrazus pentagonatus

This fairly common species was originally described as being pentagonal in cross-section, but at Gánt most specimens are in fact hexagonal. Unfortunately they are mostly found in fragments.

a) Rare near-complete adult specimen.

b) Very rare pentagonal cross section variety

13: Jponsia vulcanica (originally described from the locality as Melanatria vulcanica)

A rare species, mostly found in fragments, complete adult specimens are very rare. A very rare complete sub-adult and a juvenile specimen.

14: Harrisianella vulcani

A rare species, adults mostly found in fragments. A rare complete sub-adult.

15: Bayania melaniaeformis

One of the commoner "small fry". Two adults, sub-adult and juvenile.

16: Cryptoconus semistriatus

One of the rare smaller species. Large complete adult and a damaged sub-adult.

17: Bayania supravarians

Commonest of the small species, but it is a hands and knees job to find them. Adult and juvenile.

18: Pyrazus focillatus

A common smaller species. Adult, sub-adult and juvenile.

19: Vexillum csakvarense

One of the rarer species. Adult and sub-adult.

20: Cythara sp.

A rare species, mostly found in fragments, only genus identified (nov. sp. ?) in original literature. Rare complete adult specimen.

21: Cantharus vértesensis

A rare species, mostly found by sieving. Adult specimen.

22: Nerita pentastoma

A very rare species, mostly found by sieving. Adult and juvenile.

23: Scutus hungaricus

A very rare species found by sieving. The only example I ever found.

24: Collonia vértesensis

Rare species, found by sieving. Adult and juvenile. Preservation is so perfect even the pattern of the nacre is preserved.

25: Marginella subcylindrica

Very rare species, found by sieving. Adult..

26: Marginella pannonica

Very rare species, found by sieving. Adult.

27: Marginella pseudovulata

Rare species, found by sieving. Adult.

28: Cylichna gántensis

Rare species, found by sieving. Adult.

29: Odostomia supravariabilis

A very rare species found by sieving. The only example I ever found. Adult.

30: Zebina zitteli

A very rare species, found by sieving. Adult specimen.

31: Bayania boussaci

Rare species, found by sieving. Juvenile specimen.

32: Diastoma roncanum

A very rare species found by sieving. The only example I ever found. Adult.

33: Cythara hofmanni

Very rare species, found by sieving. Adult (?).

34: Tivelina pseudopetersi

Bivalves make up a small fraction of the mollusc fauna of the Forna clay, most are small, less than one centimetre. This one is the only larger bivalve, usually found in fragments. Rare near complete fully grown adult.

35: Textivenus texta

The commonest of the small bivalves. Adult, sub-adult and juvenile.

36: Phacoides hauseri

One of the more common finds. Adult and sub-adult.

37: Arca vertesensis

A rarer species, usually found in sieving residue, interestingly nearly half of found examples show predation marks. Adult, sub-adult and juvenile with predation hole.

38: Trinacria mórensis

A rare species found in sieving residue. Adult and sub-adultspecimens.

39: Sphenia hungarica

A rare species found in sieving residue. Adult and sub-adultspecimens.

40: Musculus fornensis

A very rare species found by sieving. Adult.

41: Corculum subrotondum

A very rare species found by sieving. The only example I ever found. Adult.

42: Pleria  triagonata

A very thin shelled species, rare to find complete ones in sieving residue. Adult and two sub-adults.



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