Revised descriptions of New Zealand Cenozoic Mollusca from Beu and Maxwell (1990)
| | Revised descriptions of New Zealand Cenozoic Mollusca from Beu and Maxwell (1990) |
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  (Pl. 2u): holotype, Boulder Hill, Wangaloan (Auckland Museum) |
 (Pl. 2v): holotype, Boulder Hill, Wangaloan (Auckland Museum) |
Beu & Maxwell (1990): Chapter 5; p. 83; pl. 2 u, v.
Synonymy: Fyfea lirata Finlay & Marwick 1937, p. 74
Type species of Fyfea Finlay & Marwick, 1937
Classification: Turbinellidae: Vasinae?
Description: Very small for family (height 9-12 mm), broadly ovate. Protoconch described as "conoid-papillate". Teleoconch of 4-5 whorls, those on spire flat to slightly convex; last whorl with rounded periphery, base strongly excavated with a short, curved neck. Axial sculpture (apart from growth lines) normally absent, but some shells with weak nodules or costae on early whorls, persisting onto last whorl of a few specimens. Spiral sculpture of narrow cords with interspaces similar in width to cords or somewhat wider, about 30 on last whorl. Aperture pyriform with short siphonal canal; inner lip thickly but narrowly callused in adults, smooth except for a low fold at top of siphonal canal. Outer lip thin, gently sinuous.
Comparison: Until recently, Fyfea was known only from the Paleocene of New Zealand. A second species, F. tuberculata, was described from Wangaloa — it differs from F. lirata in having fewer but stronger spiral cords, particularly on the base of the last whorl, and prominent peripheral nodules. The available material suggests that it is a distinct taxon rather than a variant of F. lirata. Griffin & Hünicken (1994) named another species from early Paleocene rocks of southern Argentina.
Distribution: Wangaloan, Boulder Hill (type) (common); Wangaloa (rare).
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
978-0-478-19705-1
ISSN 1177-2441
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