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Volume 40, 1907
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Art. XXXVII.—A Preliminary List of the Marine Mollusca of Banks Peninsula, New Zealand.

By Tom Iredale.

[Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 6th November, 1907.]

At present the “Manual of the New Zealand Mollusca,” by Captain Hutton, published in 1880, is the only complete catalogue of the New Zealand Mollusca in existence. In the introduction to the Manual Captain Hutton wrote, “Much still remains to be done towards working out the geographical distribution of the species; and lists would be particularly valuable from Napier, Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Hokitika, and Banks Peninsula.” Up to the present no one has taken that advice to heart as regards the locality under notice. As the

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Government has now authorised the preparation of a new Manual, I feel it incumbent upon me to endeavour to fill this lack, even in an imperfect manner.

Between 1880 and 1886 Captain Hutton wrote a good deal upon the New Zealand Mollusca, and, living in Christchurch, some of his work relates to Banks Peninsula molluscs. Since then Mr. Suter has recorded some species from this locality I can trace no other recent workers.

Upon looking at the map, Banks Peninsula can be seen as a compact rocky peninsula bounded both on the north and south by extensive sandy beaches. It is cut into by deep bays, which are very possibly rich in marine molluscs. These bays, however, are very difficult of access from Christchurch.

As a matter of fact, the bulk of these records refer to Lyttelton Harbour and Taylor's Mistake Bay; inasmuch, however, as on the few occasions on which I have collected at other places on the peninsula molluscs that had previously occurred to me very rarely turned up commonly, I have deemed it best to cover the ground by using the more comprehensive title. It may be as well to note that I have included records from the New Brighton Beach: though, strictly speaking, this may not be termed a part of Banks Peninsula, as it is most accessible from Christchurch it has been most thoroughly searched. It is tolerably certain, however, that every species that has been found on the New Brighton Beach could be found on the other beaches of the peninsula, were they as carefully searched.

Some few molluscs have been recorded from this locality which, at the time of writing, I had not been fortunate in finding. In order to make this contribution as useful as possible, I have incorporated these records, in each instance acknowledging the authority. I have also included molluscs known as estuarine, and which some malacologists dissociate from marine lists. As, however, these are found whilst searching for marine forms, and occur under the same stone as undoubted marine molluscs, I consider this is the correct place to record them.

Against each mollusc I have noted the station where I have commonly found it living. These remarks, of course, give only a general idea of the station frequented by the mollusc. The majority of molluscs being active creatures, specimens are often found on stations foreign to their general habits.

I have adopted Pelseneer's classification, as laid down in vol. v of “A Treatise on Zoology,” because the new Manual now in preparation by Mr. Suter is following that plan. Having compiled this catalogue with a view to economy of space, consistent with thoroughness, I have noted orders and their families only, except in the case of the order Opisthobranchia, where I

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have differentiated between the suborders Tectibranchia and Nudibranchia—for the reason that of the latter I have collected at least twenty distinct species, but, as they have not yet been thoroughly studied, I have only included ten identifications already on record, and noted the remaining as “ten other distinct species.”

As regards specific nomenclature, I have followed the “Index Faunæ Novæ-Zealandiæ,” such corrections by Hedley and Suter as have come under my notice having been included.

As author of this paper, I have used throughout the singular pronoun. I wish here to acknowledge, however, in justice to my friend Mr. W. R. Brook Oliver, that many of the rarest finds have been made by him. As he usually accompanied me on my collecting trips, it was mere chance to whose lot happened the find.

Class Amphineura.
Order Polyplacophora.

Fam. Lepidopleuridæ.

Lepidopleurus inquinatus, Reeve.

Rarely met with in the littoral zone; dredged in numbers in shallow water on Turritella rosea, Q. and G.

Fam. Ischnochitonidæ.

Ischnochiton longicymba, Q. and G.

Abundant under stones between tide-marks.

Ischnochiton fulvus, Suter.

Dredged with L. inquinatus, Reeve.

Fam. Mopaliidæ.

Plaxiphora biramosa, Q. and G.

Not uncommon on kelp-covered rocks at low-water mark.

Plaxiphora coelata, Reeve.

Common on rocks between tide-marks, also in roots of kelp.

Plaxiphora suteri, Pilsbry.

With P. biramosa, Q. and G., but much more plentiful.

Plaxiphora ovata, Hutton.

Have only met with this Chiton in the roots of Durville utilis, where it is not uncommon.

Fam. Acanthochitidæ.

Acanthochites porosus, Burrow.

Not uncommon on rocks about low-water mark.

Acanthochites zelandicus, Q. and G.

Common anywhere between tide-marks, under stones.

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Chiton pellis-serpentis, Q. and G.

Abundant anywhere on rocks between tide-marks.

Chiton sinclairi, Gray.

Under stones and on rocks near low water.

Chiton quoyi, Deshayes.

Abundant under stones between tide-marks.

Chiton æreus, Reeve.

Not uncommon under stones in deep rock-pools, also under stones below low water.

Chiton slangeri, Reeve.

Mr. Suter found one specimen; I have found two in rock-pools. A very rare Chiton.

Eudoxochiton nobilis, Gray.

Rare; on rocks below low-water mark.

Eudoxochiton huttoni, Pilsbary

Only one specimen has been as yet found.

Onithochiton undulatus, Q. and G.

Not uncommon on rocks at low water; common in kelp-roots.

Class Gastropoda.
Order Aspidobranchia.

Fam. Acmæidæ.

Acmæa fragilis, Chemnitz.

On stones between tide-marks; very local.

Acmæa pileopsis, Q. and G.

Rare; only met with above high-water mark.

Acmæa cingulata, Hutton.

rubiginosa, Hutton.

Associated together on shells of Haliotis iris, Martyn.

Acmæa stella, Lesson.

Stella corticata, Hutton.

Commonly met with on rocks between tide-marks.

Acmæa pseudocorticata, Iredale.

Not uncommon on rocks about high-water mark.

Acmæa septiformis, Q. and G.

Under stones in Heathcote Estuary.

Acmæa dædala, Suter.

Common; the green tessellated shell most frequent.

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Acmæa parviconoidea, Suter.

Common on rocks near high-water mark.

Acmæa parviconoidea leucoma, Suter.

Under stones in Heathcote Estuary; rare.

Acmæa parviconoidea nigrostella, Suter.

Dead shells in shell-sand; rarely met with alive in seaweed-washings.

Fam. Patellidæ.

Helcioniscus radians, Gmel.

radians argentea, Q. and G.

radians decora, Philippi.

radians earlii, Reeve.

radians affinis, Reeve.

radians olivacea, Hutton.

These all occur, the various subspecies being of local distribution.

Helcioniscus stelliferus, Gmelin.

stelliferus phymatia, Suter.

Dead shells not uncommon. I have found live shells of the former on rocks below low-water mark.

Helcioniscus ornatus, Dillwyn.

ornatus inconspicuus, Gray.

Abundant on rocks.

Helcioniscus redimiculum, Reeve.

strigilis, Hombr. and Jacq.

Our rarest limpets, in my experience.

Fam. Pleurotomariidæ.

Scissurella rosea, Hedley.

I have only as yet met with three dead shells—two in shell-sand, one in seaweed-washings.

Schismope brevis, Hedley.

Live shells not uncommon in seaweed-washings.

Fam. Haliotidæ.

Haliotis iris, Martyn.

Common about low-water mark.

Haliotis australis, Gmelin.

Lives in deeper water than iris, consequently more rarely met with.

Haliotis virginea, Gmel n.

Have as yet only met with two specimens, in a deep rock-pool.

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Fam. Fissurellidæ.

Emarginula striatula, Quoy and Gaimard.

Suter records this in Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxx, p. 326.

Subemarginula intermedia, Reeve

Dead shells in shell-sand.

Incisura lytteltonensis, E. A. Smith

Not uncommon in seaweed-washings. Lives on Cystophora, sp.

Scutum ambiguum, Chemnitz.

Common at low-water mark.

Fam. Trochidæ.

Trochus viridis, Gmelin.

tiaratus, Quoy and Gaimard.

Not uncommon on rocks; more plentiful in summer; tiaratus scarcer than viridis.

Trochus oppressus, Hutton.

Very rare; under stones in deep rock-pools.

Monodonta æthiops, Gmelin.

atrovirens, Philippi.

nigerrima, Gmelin.

morio, Troschel.

coracina, Troschel.

lugubris, Gmelin.

Abundant; some species local; on and under stones between tide-marks.

Monodonta corrosa, A. Adams.

corrosa undulosa, A. Adams.

corrosa plumbea, Hutton.

Live together on mud-flats.

Cantharidus purpuratus, Martyn.

purpuratus texturatus, Gould.

Rarely met with; stragglers on rocks at low water.

Cantharidus tenebrousus, A. Adams.

tenebrosus huttoni, E. A. Smith.

Abundant on seaweeds; the latter on Zostera beds.

Cantharidus pupillus, Hutton.

dilatatus, Sowerby.

On seaweeds in rock-pools; the latter scarcer; the former also found in roots of Durvillea.

Gibbula nitida, Adams and Angas.

suteri, E. A. Smith.

On seaweeds in rock-pools; the latter much the commoner; both rarer than the two preceding.

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Calliostoma punctulatum, Martyn.

In crevices of rocks just above low-water mark.

Ethalia zelandica, Hombron and Jacquinot.

Dead shells on sandy beaches.

Fam. Liotiidæ.

Liotia polypleura, Hedley.

Not uncommon in seaweed-washings; live shells.

Fam. Cyclostrematidæ.

Cyclostrema corulum, Hutton.

lissa, Suter.

Fam. Turbinidæ.

Turbo smaragdus, Martyn.

smaragdus tricostatus, Hutton.

Common on rocky shores, between tide-marks.

Turbo granosus, Martyn.

One specimen in Canterbury Museum, from Lyttelton.

Astralium sulcatum, Martyn.

Not common alive on rocks; dead shells on beaches adjacent.

Astralium sulcatum davisii, Stowe.

Have only met with two dead shells.

Astralium heliotropium, Martyn.

One very young specimen from shell-sand.

Order Pectinibranchia.

Fam. Litorinidæ.

Litorina mauritiana, Lamarck.

cincta, Quoy and Gaimard.

Common on rocks above low tide and also above high water.

Risellopsis varia, Hutton.

varia carinata, Kesteven.

Common; associated with Litorina, spp.

Fam. Rissoidæ.

Rissoa hamiltoni, Suter.

incidata, Frauenfeld.

fumata, Suter.

zosterophila, Webster.

zosterophila, minor Suter.

cheilostoma, Ten.-Woods.

cheilostoma lyalliana, Suter.

microstriata, Murdoch.

All these were found alive in seaweed-washings.

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Rissoa insculpta, Murdoch.

foveauxiana, Suter.

subfusca, Hutton.

subfusca micronema, Suter.

neozelanica, Suter.

emarginata, Hutton.

I have only met with dead shells of these species.

Rissoina rugulosa, Hutton.

agrestis, Webster.

Eatoniella olivacea, Hutton.

olivacea annulata, Hutton.

limbata, Hutton.

I have obtained live shells of all of these from seaweed-washings.

Fam. Hydrobiidæ.

Potamopyrgus antipodum, Gray.

spelæus pupoides, Hutton.

Living under stones in brackish water; dead specimens rarely found in shell-sand.

Fam. Cerithiidæ.

Cerithiopsis sarissa, Murdoch.

Live shells under dirty stones; also met with in seaweed-washings.

Potamides subcarinatus, Sowerby.

Common in shallow pools at high-water mark.

Potamides bicarinatus, Gray.

In Canterbury Museum, from Lyttelton.

Fam. Cæcidæ.

Cæcum digitulum, Hedley.

Common under stones at high-water mark.

Fam. Turritellidæ.

Turritella rosea, Quoy and Gaimard.

kanieriensis, Harris.

Dead shells common on sandy bays; dredged alive in shallow water.

Fam. Struthiolariidæ.

Struthiolaria papulosa, Martyn.

Dead shells only, on sandy beaches.

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Fam. Calyptræidæ.

Calyptræa novæ-zelandiæ, Lesson.

Common under dirty stones.

Calypiræa sculum, Lesson.

Only dredged on shells in shallow water.

Crepidula crepidula, Linné.

Have only met with a few young specimens, on shells washed up.

Fam. Ianthinidæ.

Icnthina exigua, Lamarck.

One shell, from shell-sand off a sandy beach.

Fam. Pyramidellidæ.

Odostomia impolita, Hutton.

veslalis, Murdoch.

proxima, Murdoch.

marginata, Murdoch and Suter.

(Two other species.)

Pyrgulina rugala, Hutton.

Turbonilla zcalandica, Hutton.

sp. nov.

Eulimella deplexa, Hutton.

cæna, Webster.

Occurring in shell-sand and dredgings. Live specimens of Odostomia impolita, Hutton, and Turbonilla zealandica, Hutton, found under dirty stones.

Fam. Mitridæ.

Vulpecula rubiginosa, Hutton.

Live shells not uncommon under dirty stones, dead shells in shell-sand.

Fam. Buccinidæ.

Siphonalia mandarina, Duclos.

Not uncommon in shallow water; live shells rarely met with above low water, in crevices of rocks.

Siphonalia nodosa, Martyn.

Have only met with dead shells so far.

Cominclla maculosa, Martyn.

Common on rocky shores, between tide-marks.

Cominella lurida, Philippi.

Common on mud-flats.

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Euthria lineata, Martyn.

lineata pertinax, Von Martens.

vittata, Quoy and Gaimard.

antarctica, Reeve.

littorinoides, Reeve.

striata, Hutton.

All occur under stones between tide-marks; some of local distribution.

Fam. Muricidæ.

Trophon ambiguus, Philippi.

Common in shallow water in Purau Bay; very rarely found otherwise.

Kalydon duodecimus, Gray.

plebeius, Hutton.

paivæ, Crosse.

inferus, Hutton.

pusillus, Suter.

Under stones in rock-pools; under dirty stones below low-tide mark; all of local distribution.

Fam. Purpuridæ.

Thais haustrum, Martyn.

Common on rocky shores.

Thais striata, Martyn.

striata squamata, Hutton.

Common under stones near low-water mark.

Thais scobina albomarginata, Deshayes.

scobina rutila, Suter.

Common on rocks about high-tide mark; rutila very local.

Fam. Columbellidæ.

Pyrene choava, Reeve.

paxillus, Murdoch.

Live shells not uncommon under dirty stones.

Fam. Volutidæ.

Scaphella arabica, Martyn.

arabica elongata, Swainson.

Live shells in shallow water; dead shells on sandy beaches.

Fam. Olividæ.

Ancilla australis, Sowerby.

Specimens in Canterbury Museum from Lyttelton.

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Ancilla rubiginosa, Swainson.

Suter records this from near Sumner (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxxviii, p. 332).

Ancilla depressa, Sowerby.

One dead shell, which agrees exactly with specimens from the North Island.

Fam. Pleurotomatidæ.

Mangilia sinclairi, E. A. Smith.

Live shells dredged in shallow water.

(Three other species.)

Young specimens from shell-sand.

Fam. Terebriidæ.

Terebra Tristis, Deshayes.

Have only met with dead shells so far.

Order Opisthobranchia.
Suborder Tectibranchia.
Fam. Philinidæ.

Philine aperta, Linné./

One shell, dredged in shallow water; muddy bottom.

Fam. Aplysiidæ.

Tethys venosa, Hutton.

Specimen in Canterbury Museum from Summer.

Suborder Nudibranchia.

Doris longula, Abraham.

Canterbury Museum.

Archidoris wellingtonensis, Abraham.

Canterbury Museum.

Alloiodoris lanuginata, Abraham.

Canterbury Museum.

Cratena corfei, Hutton.

Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xiii, p. 203.

Stiliger felinus, Hutton.

Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xv, p. 133.

æolis leptosoma, Hutton.

Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xvi, p. 213.

Goniodoris punctata, Bergh.

Proc. Mal. Soc., vol. vii, p. 349.

Fiona marina, Forskal.

Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxx, p. 326.

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æolis gracilis, T. W. Kirk.

Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xv, p. 217.

Chromodoris aureomarginata, Cheeseman.

Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xiii, p. 203.

(Ten other distinct species.)

Order Pulmonata.

Fam. Auriculidæ.

Marinula filholi, Hutton.

One dead shell from shell-sand.

Leuconopsis obsoleia, Hutton.

Common under stones at high water.

Fam. Amphibolideæ.

Amphibola crenata, Martyn.

Abundant on mud-flats.

Fam. Siphonariidæ.

Siphonaria obiquata, Sowerby.

On rocks about high-water mark; abundant.

Siphonaria ausiralis, Quoy and Gaimard.

zealandica, Quoy and Gaimard.

Both species common; on rocks between tide-marks and on seaweeds in rock-pools.

Fam. Gadiniidæ.

Gadinia nivea, Hutton.

On rocks about high-water mark; rare.

Fam. Oncidiidæ.

Onchidella patelloides, Quoy and Gaimard.

nigricans, Quoy and Gaimard.

Common on rocks about high-water mark.

Class Lamellibranchia.
Order Protobranchia.

Fam. Solenomyidæ.

Solenomya parkinsom, E. A. Smith.

Have only met with dead shells.

Fam. Nuculidæ.

Nucula nitidula, A. Adams.

lacunosa, Hutton.

Have dredged live shells in shallow water.

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Order Filibranchia.

Fam. Arcidæ.

Philobrya costata, Bernard.

Commonly occurring in seaweed-washings; in clusters under dirty stones between tide-marks.

Philobrya filholi, Bernard.

One specimen in seaweed-washings.

Philobrya meleagrina, Bernard.

Valves in shell-sand.

Hochstetteria trapezina, Bernard.

Not uncommon in seaweed-washings.

Fam. Mytilidæ.

Mytilus edulis, Linné.

canaliculus, Martyn.

magellanicus, Chemnitz.

All common between tide-marks; the last named scarce.

Modiolus australis, Gray.

Have only met with one live specimen, washed up after a storm.

Modiolus ater, Frauenfeld.

Abundant between tide-marks.

Modiolaria impacta, Hermannsen.

Not uncommon; in crevices of rocks, and commensal with Ascidians.

Lithophaga truncata, Gray.

Have only met with dead shells.

Fam. Pectinidæ.

Pecten medius, Lamarck.

Dead shells on beaches only as yet.

Chlamys radiatus, Hutton.

One valve found on a sandy beach.

Chlamys zelandiæ, Gray.

gemmulatus, Reeve.

Valves on beaches; young live specimens attached by a byssus to stones in rock-pools.

Order Eulamellibranchia.
Fam. Ostreidæ.

Ostræa angasi, Sowerby.

Live shells sometimes met with cast up after storms.

– 400 –

Ostræa reniformis, Sowerby.

Common on rocks about low-tide mark.

Ostræa purpurea, Hanley.

Specimen in Canterbury Museum from Lyttelton.

Fam. Pinnidæ.

Pinna zelandica, Gray.

Live shells dredged in shallow water; dead shells on beaches.

Fam. Carditidæ.

Cardita calyculata, Linné.

Young specimens in seaweed-washings and roots of Durvillea.

Verticipronus mytilus, Hedley.

Valves in seaweed-washings.

Fam. Condylocardiidæ.

Condylocardia crassicosta, Bernard.

One live specimen from seaweed-washings.

Fam. Lucinidæ.

Divaricella cumingi, Adams and Angas.

cumingi huttoni, Vanatta.

Dead shells very rarely met with on beaches.

Fam. Ungulinidæ.

Diplodonta globularis, Lamarck.

zelandica, Gray.

striata, Hutton.

Have only met with dead shells so far.

Fam. Leptonidæ.

Kellia suborbicularis, Montagu.

Have only met with dead shells.

Lasea miliaris, Philippi.

Common in seaweed-washings.

Fam. Cycladidæ.

Corneocyclas aucklandica, Suter.

Common under stones in brackish water.

Fam. Tellinidæ.

Tellina alba, Quoy and Gaimard.

Shells not uncommon on sandy beaches.

– 401 –

Tellina lactea, Q. and G.

Dead shells not uncommon; lives on a muddy bottom; live specimens common.

Tellina glabrella, Deshayes.

Dredged valves; muddy bottom.

Tellina disculus, Deshayes.

Dead shells washed up.

Tellina spenceri, Suter.

Dead shells met with after storms; sandy beaches.

Tellina huttoni, E. A. Smith.

Dredged in shallow water; muddy bottom.

Leptomya lintea, Hutton.

Dead shells dredged in shallow water; muddy bottom.

Macoma suteri, E. A. Smith.

Dredged with T. huttoni, E. A. Smith.

Fam. Mesodesmatidæ.

Mesodesma australis, Gmelin.

Atactodea subtriangulata, Gray.

Abundant; the former on mud, the latter sand; our commonest bivalves.

Fam. Mactridæ.

Mactra discors, Gray.

æquilatera, Deshayes.

Common; lives below low-water mark on sandy beaches.

Mactra ordinaria, E. A. Smith.

Dredged with Tellina huttoni, E. A. Smith.

Standella ovata, Gray.

Dead shells abundant on muddy bottom; have not found live shells.

Resania lanceolata, Gray.

Zenatia acinaces, Quoy and Gaimard.

Lives below low-water mark on sandy beches; dead shells common.

Fam. Veneridæ.

Dosinia subroséa, Gray.

australis, Gray.

Lives with the two preceding.

Dosinia grayi, Zittel.

Have only met with single valves; very rare.

Chione oblonga, Hanley

Dead shells rarely met with; one live specimen in a rockpool.

– 402 –

Chione stutchburyi, Gray.

Abundant on muddy bottom.

Chione costata, Quoy and Gaimard.

Common; lives in sand among stones between tide-marks.

Chione crassa, Quoy and Gaimard.

Have only met with dead shells.

Anaitis yatei, Gray.

Live shells washed up on sandy beaches after storms.

Tapes intermedia, Quoy and Gaimard.

Associated with Chione costata, Q. and G., but much rarer.

Venerupis siliqua, Deshayes.

reflexa, Gray.

Sp. Have only met with dead shells.

Fam. Cardiidæ.

Protocardia pulchella, Gray.

Specimens in Canterbury Museum marked “Banks Peninsula.”

Fam. Psammobiidæ.

Psammobia lineolata, Gray.

stangeri, Gray.

solenotellina siliqua, Reeve.

nitida, Gray.

incerta, Reeve.

May be met with on sandy beaches after heavy seas.

Fam. Corbulidæ.

Corbula haastiana, Hutton.

he type-locality is Lyttelton.

Corbula zealandica, Quoy and Gaimard.

Two valves from shell-sand.

Fam. Saxicavidæ.

Saxicava arctica, Linné.

Common; boring in sponges and under roots of Durvillea, sp.

Panopæa zelandica, Quoy and Gaimard.

Very rare; dead shells washed up on sandy beaches.

Fam. Pholadidæ.

Barnea similis, Gray.

Have only met with valves so far.

– 403 –
Fam. Periplomidæ.

Cochlodesma angasi, Crosse and Fischer.

are; live shells sometimes washed up after storms.

Fam. Myochanidæ.

Myodora striata, Quoy and Gaimard.

alves dredged in shallow water; rarely met with on sandy beaches.

Myodora pandoriformis, Stutchbury.

Two valves on sandy beaches.

Myodora novæ-zelandiæ, E. A. Smith.

One specimen dredged in shallow water.

Class Cephalopoda.
Order Dibranchia.
Fam. Spirulidæ.

Spirula spirula, Linné.

Shells found on sandy beaches.

Fam. Ommatostrephidæ.

Todarodes sloanii, Gray.

pecimen from Lyætelton in Canterbury Museum.

Fam. Sepidæ.

Sepia apama, Gray.

n Canterbury Museum.

Fam. Octopodidæ.

Polypus maorum, Hutton.

pecimen from Lyttelton in Canterbury Museum; not very rare.

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