Taxonomic revision of the rudist bivalve genus Joufia Boehm (Hippuritida, Radiolitidae), Upper Cretaceous, Mediterranean Tethys

Abstract

The rudist genus Joufia Boehm is characterized by radially oriented canals within the calcitic outer shell layer of the left valve. The type species, J. reticulata, has multiple rings of canals. However, a single ring of such canals is observed in the left valves of some other nominal radiolitid genera. One such is Kuehnia serbica Milovanović, recognized herein as a species of Joufia, to which we also re-assign Parasauvagesia cappadociensis Cox.Pseudokuehnia Slišković and other material historically attributed to Kuehnia share with J. serbica: (i) the single ring of radial canals in the left valve; (ii) similar right valve ornamentation; (iii) identical celluloprismatic mesostructure and pseudopillar-like structures in the right valve; plus pallial canals in the left valve, as seen in Joufia reticulata. Additionally, the left valve of Pseudokuehnia has a postero-ventral pair of tubular structures; and the same characters are also seen in Kurtinia Karacabey-Öztemür, herein regarded as synonymous with the latter taxon.Hence, we recognize three Joufia species: (1) J. reticulata Boehm, with multiple canal rings in the left valve; (2) J. serbica (Milovanović), with a single ring of such canals; and (3) J. milovanovici Slišković, also with a single ring of canals, but additionally with paired tubular structures in the left valve. The same tripartite division exists among specimens from latest Campanian-Maastrichtian deposits in Turkey.Thus revised, Joufia ranged across the Mediterranean Tethys from Turkey via the Balkans to Italy and SE Spain, and as far south as central Tunisia and SE Turkey.