Malacological Society of Australasia

Molluscan Research

Volume 19, Issue 1: 19 May 1998

The New Zealand Recent species of Cantharidus Montfort, 1810 and Micrelenchus Finlay, 1926 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Trochidae)

Bruce A. Marshall

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa P.O. Box 467, Wellington, New Zealand

The New Zealand Recent species of Cantharidus Montfort, 1810 (3 species) and Micrelenchus Finlay, 1926 (10 species) are revised, illustrated and keyed. A new species of Cantharidus and a new Micrelenchus species are described from north of Cape Reinga. Micrelenchus huttonii (Smith, 1876) is resurrected from synonymy under M. tenebrosus (A. Adams, 1853). The following seven taxa are newly synonymised: Cantharidus opalus cannoni Powell, 1933 with C. opalus (Martyn, 1784); Cantharidus coruscans Hedley, 1916 with M. capillaceus (Philippi, 1848); Cantharidus sanguineus elongatus Suter, 1897, Gibbula micans Suter, 1897 and M. sanguineus bakeri Fleming, 1948 with Canthiridus artizona A. Adams, 1853; M. oliveri cryptus Powell, 1946 with M. sanguineus (Gray, 1843); M. parcipictus Powell, 1946 with M. tenebrosus (A. Adams, 1853); M. caelatus morioria Powell, 1933 and M. caelatus archibenthicola Dell, 1956 with M. mortenseni (Odhner, 1924). A new subgenus of Cantharidus is introduced for C. purpureus (Gmelin, 1791). Plumbelenchus Finlay, 1926 is interpreted as a subgenus of Micrelenchus , and 7 species are newly transferred there. Lectotypes are designated for Canthiridus tenebrosus A. Adams, 1853, Trochus (Canthiridus) huttonii Smith, 1876, Canthiridus zealandicus A. Adams, 1853, Cantharidus pruninus minor Smith, 1902, Photinula coruscans Hedley, 1916, Canthiridus artizona A. Adams, 1853, Canthiridus rufozona A. Adams, 1853, Cantharidus sanguineus caelatus Hutton, 1884, and Gibbula mortenseni Odhner, 1924. Neotypes are designated for Limax opalus Martyn, 1784, Trochus iris Gmelin, 1791 and Trochus acuminatus Perry, 1811 (= Cantharidus opalus ); Helix purpurea Gmelin, 1791, Trochus rostratus Gmelin, 1791 and Trochus elegans Gmelin, 1791 (= Cantharidus purpureus ); and Gibbula plumbea Hutton, 1878 (= Micrelenchus huttonii ).
Key words: Recent, New Zealand, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Trochidae, Cantharidini, Cantharidus , Micrelenchus , Plumbelenchus , lectotypes, neotypes, new taxa.

pp. 107-156.