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Genus Comitas
Finlay, 1926.
Type (by original designation): Surcula oamarutica Suter (= Drillia fusiformis Hutt.).
Powell (1942, p. 57) described the protoconch of Comitas as “two-whorled, papillate, smooth”. Finlay, on the contrary, in his original description (1926, p. 251) stated that “the genotype has a two-whorled papillate apex … the latest whorl developing a strong but not sharp carina”. The keel can be seen clearly on specimens from Target Gully and Owamoa. On C. onokeana King, apparently a direct descendant of fusiformis, the protoconch is larger, more depressed, and has a much sharper keel, commencing near the middle at the beginning of the second whorl and descending close to the lower suture. On the following species the protoconch is smaller than but otherwise similar to that of onokeana.
Comitas terrisae n.sp. (Pl. 27, figs. 24, 25.)
Similar to fusiformis but smaller; 6 post-nuclear whorls, staged, angled at about 3/4 the height on the last 3 whorls. Spiral sculpture: 2 broad low cords with almost linear interspace crossing the axials half way between sutures; on the third whorl 2 weaker spirals appear, one above and the other below the 2 cords, and on the sixth whorl a further weak thread appears from beneath the descending suture. On the body whorl, below the 2 main cords, 5 narrow, spaced, spiral cords reach half way across the base; remainder of base and the neck are covered with dense fine threads. Shoulder narrow, concave, with a relatively deep U-shaped sinus.
Height, 20.5 mm; diameter, 7.5 mm.
Locality: N165/507 Bell's Creek, middle Tongaporutuan (holotype and 3 paratypes).
Marshallena curtata (Marwick).
1926, Turricula curtata Marwick. Trans. N.Z. Inst., 56, p. 325, Pl. 74, fig. 8.
Several specimens, closely matching the holotype, were collected from the middle Tongaporutuan beds of Bell's Creek (N165/507).
Splendrillia whangaimoana n.sp. (Pl. 27, fig. 22.)
Closest to the Opoitian afflicta (Marw.), but shorter and broader; whorls angled at the same height, each with 9 to 10 axials. Subsutural cord narrow, distinct, weaker in some paratypes. Peripheral angle more acute than in afflicta, axial raised to moderately sharp nodules, tapering off rapidly below. On a paratype the lower parts of the axials are obsolete on the latter part of the body
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whorl, thus producing the type of sculpture characteristic of S. clava Pow. Shoulder deeply concave and smooth except for growth lines; below periphery numerous very fine spiral striae, strongest on base and neck. Base contracted rapidly, neck and anterior canal narrower and longer than usual in Splendrillia.
Height, 14·3 mm.; diameter, 6·1 mm.
Locality: N165/563. Cliffs between Whangaimoana and Lake Ferry, Palliser Bay, upper Waitotaran.
Splendrillia clava differs in its blunter peripheral angle, lower on whorls, shorter axials and weaker spiral striae.
Splendrillia n.sp aff. powelli King.
Two damaged specimens from N165/507, Bell's Creek, middle Tongaporutuan. have the heavy sub-sutural fold and distant linear spiral grooves of powelli. but are much broader and more strongly angled at the periphery.