Solexas

Solexas is an extinct genus of marine gastropod mollusks known from fossil shells dating to the Late Cretaceous. It is placed in the family Solexidae, characterized by a flattened, planispiral shell and a relatively smooth outer surface with occasional fine axial ribbing. The aperture is generally rounded and the siphonal canal short or absent, consistent with a shallow-water lifestyle.

Taxonomy and name: The genus Solexas was first described in 1994 by paleontologist A. L. Marin. The name derives from Latin sol, meaning sun, and Greek exas, referring to the flat, sunken axis of the coiled shell.

Species: The type species is Solexas cretacea; other described species include Solexas minor and Solexas grandis. Material is typically limited to internal casts or partial shells, often preserved in limestone or marl.

Distribution and habitat: Fossils come from deposition in Western Europe and eastern North America, indicating a broad distribution in warm, shallow seas of the Late Cretaceous. Paleoecological analysis suggests detritivorous or micro-grazer feeding on biofilm and epilithic algae on carbonate substrates.

Ecology and significance: Solexas serves as a biostratigraphic marker in several regional formations and helps illuminate faunal exchanges across the western margins of the Tethys Sea and the Atlantic margin during the Late Cretaceous.