Art. XXI.—Some Tertiary Molusca, with Descriptions of New Species.

By P. Marshall, M.A., D.Sc., F.G.S., F.N.Z.Inst., Hector and Hutton Medallist, and R. Murdoch.

row of small nodules on the angle, thence take a backward sweep, and vanish a little above the suture, on the anterior end of the last irregular and here and there in the form of strong growth-striae; spiral striae are preserved in places only and difficult to detect. There is a narrow, subperforation at the side of the columella, bounded by a small funicular ridge which curves around to the basal lip. Aperture oval, narrow above, basal lip slightly produced and with a lightly impressed gutter at its junction with the columella, inner lip with a thin narrow callus, columella slightly curved and a little reflexed anteriorly.

Length, 6.25 mm.; width, 3.5 mm.; length of aperture, 2.5 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

There is a single example only. It is very different from any other of our Recent or fossil Rissoids, and it is with hesitation we refer it to the genus. More material may be brought to light, possibly allied forms which would lead to a more confident classification.

Seila attenuissima n. sp. (Plate VI, fig. 2.)

Shell partly embedded in the matrix, very small, gradually tapering, and exceedingly slender; whorls about seventeen, the protoconch of two and a half whorls, smooth, apex minute oblique to the axis, the two succeeding whorls well rounded and somewhat swollen, thence flattened and with three sharply-raised spiral cords, equal to or slightly narrower than the grooves, the lower cord perhaps slightly the stronger; the spacing of the sculpture, including the sutural groove, is exceedingly uniform; within the grooves and preserved in places only are microscopic sharply-raised growth-striae; the last whorl apparently with four or more spirals, the anterior end obscured by the matrix.

Length, 7 mm.; width, 0.9 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

There is a single example only, characterized by its exceedingly attenuated form. The protoconch in some respects approaches S. bulbosa Suter.

Triphora aoteaensis n. sp. (Plate VI, fig. 3.)

Shell small, slender, of twelve flattened whorls, excluding the apex, which is missing. Sculpture: There are three rows of gemmules on each whorl, a small undulating smooth threadlet at the suture above and occasionally a very minute thread on the margin below, both absent on the earlier whorls; on the last at the basal angle is a fourth smooth sharply-raised narrow riblet, below this a more slender cord, and between the latter and beak two or three ill-defined lines; of the gemmules there are about sixteen in a row, separated rather less than their own width and linked within the rows, axial buttresses low and broad, forming oblique vertical rows but not always continuous; the lower row of gemmules is the most strongly developed, the second distinctly smaller, equal to their own width apart, the third separated by a narrow groove and much more feeble; the gemmules are somewhat oval in form, the anterior sides rounded, the posterior rising rather abruptly, giving to them a subtruncated and slightly ridged appearance. Base sloping, flattened; distinct growth-striae form small irregular riblets. Aperture small, subquadrate, outer lip imperfect, columella short, nearly straight, sharply bent and twisted at the anterior extremity.

Length, 9.5 mm.; width, 3 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

Described from a single specimen; the only other species of the genus recorded in our Tertiary fauna is T. lutea Sut. A casual examination of the Hampden shell might easily lead to its being referred to that species, and probably it is akin to it; the protoconch is missing, and not infrequently it possesses important specific characters.

Dicroloma zelandica Marshall. (Plate VII, fig. 13.)

Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 51, pp. 228–29, pl. xv, fig. 16, 1919.

The example here described is partly embedded in the matrix, and the sculpture is much eroded, but the general form is well preserved. Shell small, fusiform, of six whorls, the last rounded, abruptly contracted at the base, with a narrow and moderately long anterior canal, which is slightly inclined or bent to the left; spire-whorls convex, the apex missing; sutures not impressed, the removal of the outer shelly layer gives to them a somewhat deep appearance. Sculpture: On the last whorl, a little below the periphery, is a strong spiral rib, a second below this margining the base, and beneath these two or three more slender cords, the first-mentioned ribs about twice their own width apart. Aperture oblique, rather narrow, the outer lip expanded, thickened, and with two prominent lobes, while from each lobe proceeds a long stout digitation (the extremities broken off); the posterior digit is almost at right angles to the axis of the shell and proceeds from near to the sutural margin; above its junction is a fairly strong callus which spreads to the suture above; the median lobe and digit are somewhat larger than the above, and the space between and the angle formed are smaller than between the median and the anterior canal. Each digit has a pronounced smooth furrow; the groove of the anterior canal is little more marked than that of the digits.

Length, 23 mm.; width (excluding digit), 13 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Struthiolaria zelandiae n. sp. (Plate VII, figs. 11, 11a.)

Shell ovate, oblong, spire turreted, whorls spirally ribbed, rather flattened, shouldered at the sutures, which are deeply excavated, the last more or less angled at the base. Whorls six or more, apex lost. Sculpture: On the last whorl a broad usually strong spiral rib on the sutural shoulder, followed by six or seven narrow cords, thence two stronger cords, the first of which is the more prominent and forms the basal angle, anterior to this contracted and with five or six cords which are usually smaller and more widely spaced as they approach the anterior end; the grooves deep except immediately below the shoulder where they vary considerably, in some examples feeble ill-defined corrugations, in others narrow incised lines, or clean-cut, deep, and slightly narrower than the riblets. The first of the remaining spire-whorls with a few spiral threadlets, on the following whorls increasing to seven or eight, variable as on the last, usually distinct in the deeply excavated sutural area. A secondary sculpture of fine threadlets adorns both ribs and grooves. Aperture ovate, oblique; outer lip sinuous, strong, and reflexed; inner lip with a broad fairly heavy callus; columella curved, a distinct notch at the anterior end.

Length, 36 mm.; width, 27 mm. Another example: Length, 35 mm.; width, 24 mm.

Locality, Waipipi, near Waverley, in blue sandy clay.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

The sculpture, together with the exceedingly deeply excavated sutures, readily distinguishes it from other Tertiary forms.

Phalium fibratum n. sp. (Plate VIII, figs. 16, 17.)

Shell large, ovato-globose, with prominent spiral sculpture. Whorls about seven; lightly angular; apex minute; spire short, less than one quarter the length of the aperture; the last very large; on the angle a rather prominent row of nodules, on the spire above the angle four or five spiral cords, and below the angle two or three, on the last about twenty-three flat spirals more than twice the width of the grooves, the latter becoming deeper on approaching the anterior end, in places there is a small groove on the rib and here and there a small threadlet in the groove; the axials consist of strong irregular growth-striae which have a fibrous subgranular appearance. Sutures lightly impressed, the marginal rib below rather pronounced. Aperture slightly oblique and narrow above, outer lip uniformly curved, thickened and reflexed; columella short, excavate and twisted, several small denticles above and two or three oblique plaits at the anterior end; body-whorl and columella with a wide, spreading callus produced anteriorly as a broad flat plait limited to the width of the columella.

Length, 75 mm.; width, 60 mm.

Locality, Waipipi.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

Of this form there, is a single almost perfect specimen. It is allied to P. labiatum var. pyrum Lank., which is subject to considerable variation in size and sculpture. We have a good series of the latter for comparison, and in our opinion the Waipipi shell is sufficiently different to warrant specific distinction.

Siphonalia senilis n. sp. (Plate VI, fig. 4.)

Shell rather small; canal moderately long; body-whorl comparatively large. Whorls six or seven, rounded, lightly subangled above the middle; protoconch of about three and a half turns, smooth; thence spirally and axially sculptured; axials nineteen to twenty on the last, feebly raised, more pronounced on the spire; growth-striae rather strong; the spirals in the form of undulating cords, delicately beaded, usually one or two larger beads on the axials, in places an alternate larger and smaller cord, wider than the grooves except towards the anterior end; on the penultimate there are eleven to thirteen spirals, the cord at the suture rather pronounced and followed by two or three much smaller. Sutures not deeply impressed. Aperture imperfect. Columella curved, tapering, lightly twisted anteriorly, and thinly callused.

Length, approximately 17 mm.; width, 10 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

There are three examples, somewhat distorted and in rather poor preservation. The species may readily be distinguished by the undulating finely beaded cords.

Admete (Bonellitia) ovalis Marshall.

Borsonia (Corderia) ovalis Marshall, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 50, p. 269, pl. 18, figs. 10–10a, 1918.

—A further examination of the type proves that it is a member of the Cancellariidae nearly allied to Bonellita as defined by M. Cossmann.

Admete suteri n. sp. (Plate VI, figs. 5, 5a.)

Shell small, shortly fusiform; spire short turreted. Whorls five, the last comparatively large, strongly angled; protoconch of two smooth rounded whorls, the apex obliquely disposed, thence rapidly increasing; axially and spirally cancellated, the latter more pronounced and forming small tubercules at the points of intersection; above the aperture and on the spire-whorls are two small spiral cords, on the last eight narrower than the interspaces, at the anterior extremity finer and closer; axials seventeen to twenty-one on the last, irregularly developed anteriorly, on the area between suture and angle sharply inclined forward, this area without spiral sculpture; sutural line undulating, not channelled. Aperture somewhat oblique, outer lip angled above, margin lightly crenulated, grooved within corresponding with the spiral sculpture; columella short, slightly curved, narrowed and twisted at the extremity, lightly callused, with two well-developed rounded plaits on the middle area and a third more slender on the anterior twist of the columella.

Length, 8 mm.; width, 5.25 mm.

Locality, Target Gully. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

Material consists of four examples in a good state of preservation. We name this pretty little shell in memory of our old friend Henry Suter.

Admete anomala n. sp. (Plate VI, fig. 6.)

Shell small, elongate; spire exceeds the aperture in length. Whorls five or six, convex and lightly angled above the middle; apex blunt, and sculpture (if any) obscure, succeeding whorls spirally and axially ribbed, nodular at the crossings; axials broad, equal to the interspaces, nine or ten on a whorl, directed slightly forward, feeble above the angle and on approaching the lip; growth-striae in places well marked with here and there old lip-margins; spirals narrower than the interspaces, twelve on the last, five on the spire-whorls, one of which is above the angle; the first threadlet below the angle is much more slender than the others; a small area at the anterior end smooth. Sutures impressed, slightly undulating. Aperture oval, outer lip uniformly curved, sharp, within the margin a number of small elongated denticles; columella short, curved and obliquely truncated, the extremity slightly twisted to the left, thinly callused and with two small plaits; the anterior lip produced and on uniting with the columella forms a short wide canal.

Length, 8 mm.; width, 3.75 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

The material consists of a single examples. The two denticles only on the columella and the peculiar wide shallow anterior canal are not quite in accord with Admete; probably it may be allied to Babylonella of Cossmann.

Fulguraria (Alcithoe) turrita Suter.

F. (Alcithoe) arabica var. turrita Sut., N.Z. Geol. Surv. Pal. Bull. No. 5, p. 39, pl. 5, fig. 4, 1917.

Examples of this species, of which we have a fairly good series from Nukumaru and Waipipi, agree perfectly with Suter's description and figure. The produced spire and narrow form are constant characters, and some examples have the penultimate and last whorl adorned with small inconspicuous spiral lines. The general contour is, however, so different from arabica and its var. elongata as to warrant full specific distinction. It is

not uncommon in the beds above mentioned, where we have failed to find examples of the Recent species.

Length, 125 mm.; width, 47 mm.

The series of specimens here noted to be lodged in the Wanganui Museum.

Fulguraria (Alcithoe) turrita var. nukumaruensis n. var. (Plate IX, figs. 18, 19.)

Distinguished from the species by its more slender form, the absence of prominent nodules, the axial riblets being feeble and almost absent on the last, the body having the same flat slope as the whorls above.

Length, 102 mm.; width, 34 mm.; length of aperture, 57 mm.

Locality, Nukumaru.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

There are several specimens, of which only one is perfect.

Fulguraria morgani n. sp. (Plate VII, figs. 12, 12a, 12b.)

Shell rather small, narrow, axially costate, spire turreted. Whorls six or seven, lightly shouldered above the middle, excavated or flattened above the shoulder, below slightly convex, the last whorl slightly tapering to the anterior end; the protoconch consists of about two and a half smooth whorls, somewhat rounded, apex blunt, the first half-turn somewhat laterally disposed by a comparatively wide and deep sutural excavation. Axial riblets sixteen to nineteen, rounded, rather narrower than the interspaces, usually less pronounced above the shoulders and on approaching the anterior end of the last whorl, on the latter towards the lip somewhat variable. Sutures undulating, not deep. Aperture slightly oblique, narrow, almost canaliculate above; outer lip with sharp margin, slightly curved to the anterior end, the latter rather broad and deeply notched; columella almost straight, lightly twisted at the anterior extremity, thinly callused and with four plaits, the lowermost occasionally feeble.

Length. 47 mm.; width, 17 mm.; length of aperture, 28 mm.

Locality, Waipipi, in blue sandy clay.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

Originally an example of this species was submitted to Captain Hutton, who pronounced it Voluta corrugata, Miocene. It was said to occur in the Patea or Waverley district, but the exact locality was unknown. On comparing it with the description and figures given by Suter (N.Z. Geol. Surv. Pal. Bull. No. 2) it was apparently quite different from Hutton's species; we therefore submitted examples to Mr. P. G. Morgan, Director of the Geological Survey, for comparison with the types, and his report coincides with the opinion we had formed. Its nearest kin is perhaps F. gracilis Swains. We convey to Mr. Morgan the compliment of associating his name with the species.

Turris curialis n. sp. (Plate VII, fig. 14.)

Shell narrowly fusiform; spire turreted; whorls with sloping flat shoulders bounded by a prominent nodular ridge; thence to the suture below excavated; the concavity below the ridge continues across the body-whorl immediately above the aperture and appears again on the lip strongly marked (shell partly embedded in the matrix), anterior to this slightly convex, thence gradually contracted to the canal. Whorls probably eight or more. Sculpture: Several small spiral threadlets between the suture and keel, and two somewhat stronger between the latter and

suture below, on the last numerous, exceeding twenty, and narrower than the grooves; axials consist of growth-striae only. Sutural line not deep, in places obscured by the spirals above and below. Aperture imperfect, rather narrow, the posterior sinus as indicated by the lines of growth situated at the nodular angle; columella almost straight, thinly callused, the anterior end missing.

Length, 26 mm.; width, 10 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

The material consists of a single specimen of five whorls, including the last except its anterior extremity. The distinctive characters are the marked corrugation on the last whorl, which is a continuation of the peculiar excavate sutural area, the long sloping shoulder, and the prominent nodular angle.

Surcula torticostata Marshall. (Plate VIII, fig. 15.)

S. torticostata Marshall, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 51, p. 232, pl. 12, fig. 7, 1919.

This species was described from very imperfect material, consisting of upper spire-whorls only. An almost perfect specimen is now available, and we offer the following amended description.

Shell fairly large, narrowly fusiform, the aperture and canal apparently rather less than the spire in length (the anterior end of the canal missing). Sutures not deep, margined below by a flat rather prominent rib. Whorls nine or ten, flat or slightly concave below the sutural rib, thence lightly convex, the last gradually tapering to the canal. Axial sculpture varying as the shell progresses; apical whorls apparently smooth; then follow twisted, prominently backward-sloping narrow riblets, which arise a little below the sutural rib, and are suppressed a little above the lower suture, and on the later whorls, especially the penultimate and last, reduced to slight undulations and in places absent; growth-striae well marked, prominent on the last; the spirals consist of numerous fine feebly-raised threadlets wider than the grooves and forming irregular minute granules on crossing the growth-striae. Aperture narrow, deeply channelled above; outer lip sharp, curving forward rather abruptly from the posterior sinus, which is situated immediately below the sutural rib; columella and body-wall thinly callused, the callus on the latter margined by a rather pronounced double groove.

Length, 59 mm.; width, 14 mm.; length from aperture to apex, 34 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

This specimen to be lodged in the Wanganui Museum.

Surcula hampdenensis n. sp. (Plate VI, fig. 7.)

Shell narrowly fusiform; whorls obtusely angled; spirally lirate; short oblique axials at the shoulder and the sutures margined below. Whorls eight, the apex minute, thence gradually increasing, the last viewed dorsally exceeding the spire in length. Almost flat below the angle, then gradually sloping to the long anterior canal, the extremity of which is missing. On the spire-whorls the angle is slightly above the middle, the area above and below very slightly convex. Sculpture: Excluding the apex, the first four whorls with irregular ill-defined axials extending across the whorls; following these the angle well defined and on it developed fourteen or fifteen backward-sloping axials, narrower than the interspaces and not extending to the sutures below; growth-striae, especially on the last, strongly marked;

spiral threadlets adorn the lower whorls throughout, that margining the suture comparatively large and with a sharply defined lower margin, a few minute threads on its flattened surface, on the last about fifty, those above the angle very slender, below with here and there an alternate larger and smaller threadlet, about equal to the grooves in width. Aperture: Outer lip imperfect; posterior sinus extending from the angle to the sutural cord; columella almost straight; callus thin, not obscuring the spiral sculpture.

Length, 22 mm.; width, 7 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

Of this form there is only one example. It nearest kin are perhaps S. sertula, S. obliquecostata, and S. mordax.

Borsonia (Corderia) zelandica Marshall. (Plate VI, fig. 8.)

Volutoderma zelandica Marshall, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 51, p. 230, p. 17, figs. 4 and 5, 1919.

The material from which this species was described consists of two rather badly preserved specimens collected by Dr. Marshall at Hampden. The sculpture can be followed fairly well, and the position and form of the posterior sinus is clearly indicated by the well-marked growth-striae. The outer lip being broken away gives a somewhat marked prominence to the two small plaits on the columella, and this may in a measure have influenced the late Mr. Suter when he recommended its inclusion in Volutoderma. We offer a figure of the aperture restored as indicated by the lines of growth.

Conus (Leptoconus) armoricus Suter. (Plate VI, fig. 9.)

N.Z. Geol. Surv. Pal. Bull. No. 5, p. 61, pl. 12, fig. 25, 1917.

As no description of the protoconch is recorded, we offer the following: The specimen has a total of nine and a half whorls, three and a half of which comprise the smooth protoconch, which is sharply conical and slightly oblique; whorls convex, with somewhat impressed sutures, the initial half-turn minute and somewhat laterally disposed, the third comparatively high, the last half narrowing and merging into the post-embryonic form.

Length, 21 mm.; width, 11 mm. (dimensions of specimen).

Locality, Pakaurangi Point, Kaipara Harbour. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Conus (Leptoconus) armoricus var. pseudoarmoricus n. var. (Plate VI, fig. 10.)

Shell small, spire low, gradated, the body elongated and sharply tapering. Whorls six, excluding the protoconch, which is missing; each whorl with a pronounced rim-like ridge, which overhangs and partly conceals the suture, giving to the volution a distinctly concave appearance; the last whorl immediately below the ridged shoulder slightly contracted. Sculpture: On the spire-whorls four or five small spiral threadlets, on the anterior area of the last about twelve well marked and obliquely ascending; above these a few ill-defined lines which probably are continued to the crown; axial growth-striae irregular, on the spire distinctly curved, indicating a fairly deep sinus. Aperture narrow; the margins almost parallel; outer lip imperfect.

Length, 18 mm.; width, 10 mm.

Locality, Hampden. Collected by Dr. Marshall.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

Differs from C. armoricus by the spiral threadlets on the spire, the rim-like ridge which overhangs the sutures, and the accompanying concavity of the whorls. The material consists of a single example. C. armoricus is recorded from Komiti Point,^* Kaipara Harbour, and it is interesting to find a form so nearly akin in the Hampden beds.

Melina zealandica Suter. (Plate X, fig. 20; Plate IX, fig. 21.)

For all references see N.Z. Geol. Surv. Pal. Bull. No. 5.

A description derived from very fragmentary materials is given in the above-mentioned publication, pages 68, 69. Plate viii, fig. 4, is a part of the hinge; Plate xiii, fig. 1, is the large fragment from Shrimpton's, and not Ostrea mackayi, and fig. 2 is the latter species.

The species is not uncommon in the Nukumaru and Waipipi beds; numerous large fragments, including an almost complete hinge of a right valve, were obtained. Another example of hinge partly embedded in rock has both valves locked in natural position. Attached to a mass of rock a complete valve was noted, which was much eroded, but presented an approximate indication of the general outline. From this, aided by large fragments, we derive the figure of the restored shell.

The shell is apparently subquadrate, somewhat swollen, the umbo near to the anterior end, the anterior ear small with the margin immediately below prominently inflexed. The ventral margin and posterior end may to some extent have been completely eroded, as the lamellar structure would lend itself to this, but it does not appear to have been prominently winged. The hinge is massive and wide, with four or five conspicuous resilifers. The length of the hinge exceeds 140 mm., and several measurements indicate that the united valves are not less than 90 mm. in diameter.

Amphidesma (Taria) crassiformis n. sp. (Plate X, figs. 22, 23.)

Shell of medium size, massive, triangular; beaks almost at the posterior end which is abruptly truncated, strongly and acutely angled; the anterior dorsal margin long, downward sloping and almost straight, the anterior end narrow and rounded, ventral margin slightly curved; the posterior truncation is slightly concave as it approaches the lip-margin, and on the end there are two, usually three, feebly-raised curved ridges. The median area of the valves and towards the ventral margin sometimes has a slightly concave appearance. Sculpture is irregular shallow concentric corrugations with fine striae, the latter on the posterior end pronounced. Hinge conspicuously massive; right valve with deeply excavate sockets above the laterals, the posterior much the shorter; in the left valve the anterior lateral elongated and with a double tubercle on its crest, the right short high and triangular; cardinals in both lamellar and oblique. Adductorscars, pallial line, and sinus deeply impressed, the sinus short and with a broadly rounded apex. Lip-margins smooth.

Length, 80 mm.; height, 60 mm.

Locality, Nukumaru, in blue sandy clay.

Type to be presented to the Wanganui Museum.

Material consists of three valves, a right and left of which are almost perfect. Readily distinguished by its massiveness and the abrupt heavy truncation.