GNS Science

Revised descriptions of New Zealand Cenozoic Mollusca from Beu and Maxwell (1990)

New Zealand Cenozoic Mollusca

Polinices (Polinices) propeovatus (Marwick, 1924)



scale

(Pl. 29l): GS3348, N33/f9114, near site of former Ethelton School, Kaiwara River, North Canterbury, Tongaporutuan (GNS)

Beu & Maxwell (1990): Chapter 13; p. 262; pl. 29 l.

Synonymy: Uber propeovatus Marwick 1924d, p. 564

Classification: Naticidae: Poliniceinae

Description: Moderate-sized to very large for genus (35-70 mm high), evenly oval, with very heavily callused inner lip, filled umbilicus, and regular, fine, closely spaced, shallow spiral grooves all over exterior surface. Spire short; anterior outline evenly convex. Top of inner lip swings forward markedly from suture, then descends almost straight or in a shallow arc to top of umbilical callus; umbilical callus lobe long, with weakly convex sides ("tongue-shaped"), leaving a small umbilical chink in some specimens (e.g., holotype) but completely filling umbilicus and separated from funicle by only a shallow groove in most specimens. Protoconch not preserved on available material.

Comparison: The one very readily recognised character of Polinices propeovatus is its fine, even spiral grooves, which are much more strongly developed than in any other New Zealand Polinices species. Marwick's type material is rather worn, but still shows traces of the grooves, although they were not mentioned by Marwick (1924d, p. 564). P. propeovatus does not occur in southern Wairarapa Tongaporutuan "Hurupi faunas", where it is replaced by an unsculptured member of the complex of P. huttoni. The taxonomy of the abundant smooth or weakly sculptured forms of Polinices in New Zealand Miocene rocks is poorly known (see discussion under P. huttoni, Pl. 20 k).

Distribution: Waiauan-Opoitian; Tirangi Stream, North Taranaki, Tongaporutuan (type), and many localities in North Taranaki, Gisborne district, southern Hawke's Bay, and North Canterbury (particularly near the former Ethelton School, Kaiwara River, Tongaporutuan; and Double Corner Shellbeds, lower Waipara Gorge, Waiauan); Opoitian localities include Kaawa Creek, southwest Auckland, several in Dannevirke district, and several in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough. As with other Polinices species, P. propeovatus occurs in shallow-water, soft-bottom assemblages of diverse Mollusca, and at most localities occurs in large numbers.


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)

References

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