Cirsochilus priscus
fossil mollusc species
Cirsochilus priscus is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc, in the family Colloniidae. Fossils of the species date to early Miocene strata of the west coast of the Auckland Region.
Description
In the original description, Powell described the species as follows:
Shell small, solid, depressed trochiform, perforate, spirally striated and prominently keeled. Whorls 41⁄2, including a typical almost flat protoconch of 21⁄2 smooth whorls. Spire-whorls with two strong cords, which later, with the addition of another strong cord from beneath the lower suture, develop into the three strong peripheral keels so characteristic of the Recent genotype. In addition, the surface, both above and below, is sculptured with fine spiral threads; about five above and three below the upper keel of the first post-nuclear whorl, and increasing to about double this number at the termination of the last whorl. On the base there is a strong spiral ridge almost the strength of one of the keels. This is situated midway across the base and defines the termination of the spiral cord sculpture from above from a smooth deeply excavated umbilical depression which terminates in a small perforation, overhung by the reflexed inner-lip callus. Medially the inner lip has a callus projection which overhangs the umbilical depression. Spire low, about half the height of aperture.
The public source identifies “Cirsochilus priscus” as fossil mollusc species. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Cirsochilus, priscus and fossil.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Cirsochilus priscus”, the useful work is to connect “fossil mollusc species” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 13, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q137771608. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
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Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Cirsochilus priscus”, its source revision and the description used here.
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Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Cirsochilus priscus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.