A taxonomic revision of Australian Cenozoic Cassidae and Tonnidae species (Mollusca, Gastropoda)

Abstract

Fifteen species of Cassidae, of which three are new, and one species of Tonnidae are recognized from the Cenozoic deposits of southern Australia. These are: Cassis exigua (incorporating the synonyms Cassis textilis, Cassis contusus, Cassis salisburyensis, and probably Cassis nana), Cassis fimbriata; Echinophoria statioliteralis sp. nov., Echinophoria wilsoni, Echinophoria aff. Echinophoria pollens, Echinophoria trinodosa; Galeodea fuscirivularis sp. nov., Galeodea goudeyi sp. nov., Galeodea gradata; Semicassis pyrum; Antephalium sufflatum, Antephalium transennum, Antephalium radiatum, Antephalium semigranosum (including Semicassis muelleri and Semicassis subgranosa as synonyms), Antephalium adcocki; and Eudolium bairdii (synonymous with Dolium biornatum). Cassids and tonnids have a sporadic record in southern Australia from late Eocene to the present, owing to breaks in the stratigraphical record and lack of suitable facies. All the genera found fossil are known in the living fauna, but species of Echinophoria, Galeodea and Eudolium, are now confined to warmer waters of northern Australia, whereas Antephalium, which ranges from early Miocene to the present, is confined to southern Australia. Living species of Cassis and Semicassis have a circum-Australian distribution. Semicassis pyrum has a circumpolar distribution occurring also in New Zealand, South America and South Africa. Thomas A. Darragh [tdarragh@museum.vic.gov.au], Museums Victoria, GPO Box 666 Melbourne 3001, Victoria, Australia.