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. 37h): paratype, GS3528, R11/f7014, Otahuhu Brewery well, Auckland, Waipipian (GNS) |
Beu & Maxwell (1990): Chapter 14; p. 295; pl. 37 h.
Synonymy: Otahua bartrumi Marwick 1948, p. 32
Type species of Otahua Marwick, 1948 (synonymised with Bedeva Iredale, 1924 by Beu & Maxwell 1990)
Classification: Muricidae: Rapaninae
Description: Large for genus (42-48 mm high), tall and narrow, with spire a little shorter than aperture and canal. Whorls sharply carinate at about lower third on spire, sutural ramp sharply descending at first (to produce a wide, low subsutural fold) and then wide, straight; weakly convex to almost straight below shoulder, gradually contracting to neck and then swelling to long, narrow, prominent fasciole margining narrow pseudumbilical chink. Sculpture of a single prominent, rounded, spiral cord around shoulder angle, then relatively sparse, low, indistinct spiral cords below shoulder, gradually becoming more prominent on neck and canal; sutural ramp lacks spiral sculpture; cords cross low, rounded, widely spaced, finely foliose axial costae, 8-9 per whorl, without forming nodules, except low, compressed ones around shoulder carina. Aperture long and narrow, lips weakly thickened, with a few low nodules inside outer lip, merging into the moderately long, widely open anterior canal. Protoconch of about 2 whorls, smooth, with a bulbous apex.
Comparison: We can see no differences between Bedeva and Otahua. B. bartrumi is similar to the living tropical western Pacific B. blosvillei (Deshayes, 1832) ("Philippines to Queensland"; Radwin and D'Attilio 1976, p. 27) in its large size, carinate shoulder angle, and distribution of spiral cords, but has a much longer, more steeply inclined sutural ramp and weaker spiral cords than B. blosvillei. (We are indebted to Prof. Emily Vokes, Tulane University, for pointing out the resemblance to B. blosvillei). An interesting, apparently warm-water element in Waipipian faunas. Beu (2009) confirmed the position in Bedeva, and recorded a few very abraded specimens from Nukumaruan and early Castlecliffian faunas.
Distribution: Waipipian; Otahuhu Brewery well, Auckland (type), uncommon; also rare in Lower Waipara Gorge near Greenwood's Bridge, North Canterbury, at both localities in very shallow-water, near-shore environments (Bedeva is common today in the intertidal zone of rocky shores). Younger abraded specimens have been seen from Tewkesbury Formation in Kai-Iwi Valley, Wanganui (late Nukumaruan), and Cape Kidnappers (early Castlecliffian).
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)