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. 25o): holotype, GS9723, N2/f7594, Paratoetoe, north shore, Parengarenga Harbour, Altonian (TM4934, GNS) |
Beu & Maxwell (1990): Chapter 11; p. 225; pl. 25 o.
Synonymy: Typhis (Rugotyphis) vellai Maxwell 1971, p. 779
Classification: Muricidae: Typhinae
Description: Small for genus (height 20-24 mm), broadly fusiform, spire 0.4 total height. Protoconch subcylindrical, of 1.25 smooth whorls. Teleoconch of 7 whorls, angled near middle on spire; each whorl with 4 prosocline varices continuous across whorls. Varices low and thin on sutural ramp, triangular and sharp-crested below, each with up to 9 trough-like crenulations on front (adapertural) face, forming weak spines on crest. Intervariceal tubes fairly prominent, situated midway between varices on early whorls, closer to succeeding than to preceding varix on later whorls, directed backwards at about 40° and upwards at about 30°. Weak spiral threads between periphery and base of aperture on last whorl. Aperture small, ovate, peristome continuous; siphonal canal triangular, closed.
Comparison: Rugotyphis francescae (Altonian, Clifden) (type species of Rugotyphis Vella, 1961) and R. secundus (Altonian-Lillburnian, Clifden) are larger than R. vellai, are more broadly biconic in shape, lack spiral sculpture, have almost obsolete variceal spines, and have almost radial intervariceal tubes. Rugotyphis differs from Typhis in having transverse ridges or crenulations on the adapertural face of the varices, and in having the variceal spines only feebly developed. It seems to have been a warm-water genus and is recorded in New Zealand only from Early and Middle Miocene faunules from Northland and Southland. It is also recorded from the Miocene and Pliocene of Florida (Gertman 1969, p. 152-153) and Panama (Vokes 1983, p. 126, 128).
Distribution: Altonian, Paratoetoe Formation, Paratoetoe, north shore Parengarenga Harbour, Northland (type) and other localities nearby, moderately common.
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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copy of New Zealand Geological Survey Paleontological Bulletin 58 in CD version
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Zealand)