Vita Malacologica 20 – South China Sea and East Asian Mollusca (1 December 2021)

RAVEN, J.G.M., 2021. Notes on molluscs from NW Borneo. 6. Bufonaria borneensis spec. nov. (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Bursidae)

Abstract

Bufonaria rana (Linnaeus, 1758) occurs over a wide area in the Indo-West Pacific, from southern Japan to NE Australia, including Indonesia, and westward to India. It is a variable species, and several names have been synonymised with it. In Sarawak (NW Borneo) two distinct species occur sympatrically: typical B. rana, with a coarsely ridged operculum, and a smaller, more slender and darker-coloured species with an operculum that is almost smooth. The second species is described here as Bufonaria borneensis spec. nov. It seems to be restricted to the island of Borneo. Bufonaria borneensis spec. nov. is compared with B. subgranosa (G.B. Sowerby II, 1836) from Indonesia and the Philippines; B. subgranosa appears to occur sympatrically with B. rana in the Moluccas. Bufonaria rana is absent from the Philippines, where it seems to be replaced by B. cristinae Parth, 1989.

New taxa

Bufonaria borneensis spec. nov.
Type locality. — Piasau beach, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.

 

RAVEN, J.G.M., 2021. After more than 100 years being considered a mollusc, Acmaea semicornea Preston, 1908 (Acmaeidae) turns out to be a brachiopod.

Abstract

During extensive sampling along the coast of NW Borneo, at different localities, nap shells with a semi corneous shell were found, for which during decades no literature reference could be found. A drawing in Preston (1908) with the corresponding name Acmaea semicornea Preston, 1908 was instantly recognised as being closely related. Preston described this little-known species from the Andaman Islands and no further specimens were found thereafter. Grant (1937) synonymised Acmaea semicornea with Potamacmaea fluviatilis (W.T. Blanford, 1867). Lindberg (1990) disagreed with this opinion and placed it in Trimusculus F.C. Schmidt, 1818. However, various characteristics of the shells from NW Borneo, including their ‘protoconch’ and muscle scar suggest they are not Trimusculus, whilst the thin ventral valve that was preserved in one specimen indicates that these shells are not molluscs, but brachiopods from the subphylum Linguliformea, specifically the genus Discradisca Stenzel, 1965.

 

RAVEN, J.G.M., 2021. Notes on molluscs from NW Borneo 7. Babyloniidae (Gastropoda, Neogastropoda).

Abstract

An overview is given of the present-day and fossil species of Babyloniidae Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971 hitherto known from nw Borneo (Malaysia and Brunei), and information is provided regarding the depositional environments in which they live(d). Babylonia edigittenbergeri spec. nov. and B. sarawakiana spec. nov. are described from the Miocene Miri Formation.

New taxa

Babylonia edigittenbergeri spec. nov.
Type locality. — Malaysia, Sarawak. Beraya-Tusan seacliffs between Tanjong Batu and Sungai Kadulit, 34 km sw of Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Babylonia sarawakiana spec. nov.
Type locality. — Malaysia, Sarawak. Beraya-Tusan seacliffs between Tanjong Batu and Sungai Kadulit, 34 km sw of Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.

 

RAVEN, J.G.M., 2021. Notes on molluscs from NW Borneo 8. Stromboidea (Gastropoda, Neogastropoda). Addendum, including the description of two new genera and seven new extinct species.

Abstract

An inventory of the Stromboidea of NW Borneo was made by Raven (2002). Several extinct species that were new to science were excluded, as insufficient information was available. This addendum describes the fossils and also reports new material and insights, based on own sampling and literature data, covering both present-day fauna, with the exception of present-day Varicospira Eames, 1952 (subject of a separate paper: Raven & Kronenberg in. prep.), and fossils. Eight species are included for the family Xenophoridae, which is now considered part of the Stromboidea (Kiel & Perilliat, 2001; Simone, 2005; Irwin et al., 2021). Several species of Stromboidea are first recorded from the present-day fauna of nw Borneo. The genera Alatostrombus gen. nov. and Laevispira gen. nov. are proposed for extinct Miocene and Pliocene species. New species are the extinct Miocene Onustus undosus spec. nov., Stellaria striatissima spec. nov., Terebellum humilispirum spec. nov., Varicospira bekenuensis spec. nov., V. reticulata spec. nov., Alatostrombus acutalatus spec. nov. and Laevispira seriaensis spec. nov., whereas Varicospira sp. 1 is presented in open nomenclature. Though not part of Borneo proper, the records from a short visit to the nearby Royal Charlotte reef, Spratly Islands are included as it gives insight into the fauna of an atoll in oceanic setting within the South China Sea.

New taxa

Alatostrombus gen. nov.
Type species: Alatostrombus acutalatus spec. nov.
Type locality. — Beraya-Tusan seacliffs, S of Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Middle Miocene (Serravallian).

Laevispira gen. nov.
Type species: Dolomena bruneiensis Harzhauser, Raven & Landau, 2018
Type locality. — Bukit Ambug quarry, n of Tutong, Tutong, Brunei.
Late Miocene (Tortonian).

Onustus undosus spec. nov.
Type locality. — Tutong 13 outcrop, Tutong, Brunei.
Late Miocene.

Stellaria striatissima spec. nov.
Type locality. — Beraya-Tusan seacliffs 3.45 km, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Middle Miocene.

Terebellum humilispirum spec. nov.
Type locality. — Beraya-Tusan seacliffs 3.6 km (outcrop A), Sarawak, Malaysia.
Middle Miocene.

Varicospira bekenuensis spec. nov.
Type locality. — Kampong Tengah turnoff outcrops 1.4L & 1.4R near Bekenu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Middle Miocene, Langhian.

Varicospira reticulata spec. nov.
Type locality. — Miri-Bekenu road km 37.7R, near Bekenu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Middle Miocene, Langhian.

Alatostrombus acutalatus spec. nov.
Type locality. — Beraya-Tusan seacliffs km 2.35, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Middle Miocene.

Laevispira seriaensis spec. nov.
Type locality. — Tutong 08, coastal outcrop ne of Tutong, Tutong, Brunei.
Late Miocene.

 

RAVEN, J.G.M., 2021. Notes on molluscs from NW Borneo 9. Harpidae (Neogastropoda), with the description of Asiaharpa sarawakiana gen. nov., spec. nov.

Abstract

This paper discusses the Harpidae Bronn, 1849 of NW Borneo, comprising four extant species of the genus Harpa Röding, 1798 and an extinct species that is new to science. In their review of Eocithara P. Fischer, 1883, Merle & Pacaud (2003) give detailed descriptions of key characters of Eocithara, Harpa and Austroharpa Finlay, 1931, based on which they performed a cladal analysis. A similar analysis was performed for the new species. As the analysis demonstrates the new species does not match any of the existing genera, the genus Asiaharpa gen. nov. is introduced. The cladogram shows the genus must have originated at a similar time as the other genera of the Harpidae, during the Palaeocene. Besides the current specimens no older or younger fossils of this genus are known, therefore it likely became extinct during the middle Miocene or shortly thereafter.

New taxa

Genus Asiaharpa gen. nov.
Type species: Asiaharpa sarawakiana spec. nov.
Type locality. — Beraya-Tusan seacliffs, S of Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Middle Miocene (Serravallian).

Asiaharpa sarawakiana spec. nov.
Type locality. — Beraya-Tusan seacliffs, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Middle Miocene (Serravallian).

 

RAVEN, J.G.M., 2021.The Donacidae (Bivalvia, Tellinoidea) from the South China Sea and East Asia, with the rediscovery of some forgotten taxa and the description of two new species.

Abstract

Based on lots in collections, literature data and type material, the living Donacidae of the South China Sea and East Asia are reviewed. At least 35 nominal species have been recorded for this area, including numerous synonyms and misidentifications. Thirteen valid species (one including two subspecies) are recorded from the area. For all species the variation in their shells and their distribution are described. It is evident that despite recent reviews the identification of Donacidae remains challenging and several taxonomic issues are addressed in this paper. Two new species are described: Donax (Deltachion) spiniferus spec. nov. and Tentidonax borneensis spec. nov. The true identity of Donax semisulcatus Hanley, 1843 is revealed and Donax (Latona) bicolor Gmelin, 1791 is recognised as valid species. Substantial new information is provided for Donax (Deltachion) bruneirufi M. Huber, 2012 and Donax (Latona) listeri Hanley, 1882 (previously only recorded from a single locality each). Because of their consistent considerably smaller size, sculpture and different habitat Tentidonax Iredale, 1930 is raised to genus level.

New taxa

Donax (Deltachion) spiniferus spec. nov.
Type locality. — Kubong Bluff, Labuan, Sabah, Malaysia.

Tentidonax borneensis spec. nov.
Type locality. — Jerudong beach, Muara, Brunei.

 

POORTEN, J.J. ter, 2021. Microcardium pseudonomurai spec. nov. and Microcardium pseudocancellatum spec. nov., two new deep water cockles from the Indo-West Pacific with a note on the status of Trifaricardium (Bivalvia, Cardiidae).

Abstract

The identity of the Pleistocene Cardium (Acanthocardia) cancellatum Nomura, 1933 (non Cardium cancellatum Gmelin, 1791), is reevaluated based on examination of detailed photos of the holotype. It represents a Frigidocardium species, with shell characters that are close to F. torresi (E.A. Smith, 1885). Its replacement name is Cardium nomurai Kuroda & Habe in Kuroda, 1951. It was selected as type species of the genus Trifaricardium Kuroda & Habe in Habe, 1951. As a consequence, Trifaricardium is a subjective synonym of Frigidocardium Habe, 1951 (syn. nov.). The only remaining species originally described in Trifaricardium, viz T. morrisoni ter Poorten & M. Huber, 2007, is herein placed in Microcardium (comb. nov.). The name Trifaricardium nomurai has mostly been misapplied for a present-day species that is traditionally known from Japan but which is still unnamed. Therefore, Microcardium pseudonomurai spec. nov. is described and its distribution elucidated. Another misapplication of T. nomurai, in use among Chinese workers for material from the South China Sea, turns out to be specifically different and is described as Microcardium pseudocancellatum spec. nov.. The nine Cardiidae species sampled by the zhongsha 2015 expedition are listed, comprising six or seven species newly recorded for the South China Sea. All of these are figured in this paper.

New taxa

Microcardium pseudonomurai spec. nov.
Type locality. — Philippines, Bohol Sea, off Pamilacan Isl., 9°27.4’N, 123°49.4’E.

Microcardium pseudocancellatum spec. nov.
Type locality. — China, South China Sea, n Macclesfield Bank, 16°08’N, 114°19’E.

 

HOEKSEMA, D.F. & SIMONS, G.F., 2021. Erratum to: Skenea wesselinghi spec. nov., a new marine gastropod from the Pliocene of the southern North Sea Basin (Vetigastropoda, Trochoidea, Skeneidae), published in Vita Malacologica 19, December 2020.