Revised descriptions of New Zealand Cenozoic Mollusca from Beu and Maxwell (1990)
| | Revised descriptions of New Zealand Cenozoic Mollusca from Beu and Maxwell (1990) |
|
  (Pl. 25r): GS9869, N2/f7608, Paramatetaha, north shore, Parengarenga Harbour, Northland, Altonian (GNS) |
Beu & Maxwell (1990): Chapter 11; p. 225; pl. 25 r.
Synonymy: Coralliophila turneri Laws 1941b, p. 150
Classification: Muricidae: Coralliophilinae
Description: Rather small for subfamily (height 10-16 mm), biconic to broadly fusiform, spire 0.4 total height. Protoconch conical, of about 3 convex, rather irregular whorls, apparently smooth but probably worn in available specimens. Teleoconch of 4-5 whorls, weakly shouldered at variable position, from just above suture to near mid-whorl on spire; last whorl weakly excavated. Axial sculpture of rounded, prosocline costae with broad, concave interspaces reaching from suture to suture on spire, and well down base on last whorl; 9-10 costae on penultimate whorl. Spiral sculpture of narrow cords of variable prominence and spacing, which are scaly or nodulose where they are crossed by growth ridges; 18-21 on last whorl. Aperture elongate-ovate; siphonal canal short, weakly differentiated, notched; fasciole narrow, raised, with a prominent pseudumbilicus between it and inner lip. Inner lip callus moderately thick, flush in some shells, raised in others; outer lip thin, edge finely crenulate.
Comparison: Coralliophila turneri is possibly the same as C. kaiparaensis, also from Pakaurangi Point; the alleged differences between these species cited by Laws (1941b, p. 150) could easily result from intraspecific variation. However, the rather poorly preserved type of C. kaiparaensis has coarser spiral cords on the anterior part of the last whorl than on any of the specimens examined in writing the above description. C. lividorupis (Otaian, Bluecliffs, Otaio River) and C. mira (Cotton & Godfrey, 1932) (Pl. 48n) are much larger than C. turneri and have denser spiral sculpture. The assignment to Coralliophila is discussed under C. mira.
Distribution: Otaian?, Altonian; Pakaurangi Formation, Pakaurangi Point (type) (rare); Paratoetoe Formation, Paramateha, north shore Parengarenga Harbour.
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
(Included with a PDF facsimile file
copy of New Zealand Geological Survey Paleontological Bulletin 58 in CD version
from: Publications Officer, GNS Science, P.O. Box 30368 Lower Hutt, New
Zealand)