Revised descriptions of New Zealand Cenozoic Mollusca from Beu and Maxwell (1990) |
(Pl. 2l): holotype, Boulder Hill, Wangaloan (Auckland Museum) |
(Pl. 2s): holotype, Boulder Hill, Wangaloan (Auckland Museum) |
Beu & Maxwell (1990): Chapter 5; p. 82; pl. 2 l, s.
Synonymy: Taieria allani Finlay & Marwick 1937, p. 68; Galeodea (Taieria) allani in Beu & Maxwell (1990, p.82).
Type species of Taieria Finlay & Marwick, 1937 (synonymised with Galeodea by Beu 2008).
Classification: Cassidae: Cassinae
Description: Rather small for genus (height 30-40 mm), broadly fusiform. Protoconch not known; teleoconch whorls angled somewhat below middle on spire, last whorl inflated, with a moderately long, twisted neck. Axial sculpture of rounded tubercles on shoulder angle, 14-16 per whorl. Spiral sculpture of rather sharp threads (c.40 on last whorl), one noticeably stronger than the others forming a narrow cingulum on periphery of last whorl, and another, slightly weaker one a short distance below. Aperture pyriform, siphonal canal moderately long, unnotched. Inner-lip callus smooth, moderately thick over columella, but not projecting. Outer lip thin, edge finely crenulate.
Comparison: Although Taieria was proposed as a genus, the type species is very similar in most respects to typical species of Galeodea, differing chiefly in having a relatively restricted columellar callus and an unthickened outer lip. These differences are relatively minor and possibly were based on an immature specimen. Beu (2008) accordingly relegated Taieria to a synonym of Galeodea.
Distribution: Wangaloan, Boulder Hill (type) (rare). A small cassid (height about 30 mm) from the Red Bluff Tuff, Tarawhenua Peninsula, Pitt Island (Waipawan) is very similar to G. allani, but has fewer and stronger shoulder tubercles (10 on last whorl); it may be conspecific in view of the considerable variation in sculpture noted in other cassids.
Cite this publication as: "A.G. Beu and J.I. Raine (2009). Revised
descriptions of New Zealand Cenozoic Mollusca from Beu and Maxwell (1990). GNS
Science miscellaneous series no. 27."
© GNS Science, 2009
ISBN
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ISSN 1177-2441
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