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Abstract
Comparison of hinge detail shows that Paphies (Mesodesma) Deshayes, 1832 (= Ceronia Gray, 1853) should be restricted to a subgenus for American species, which all have transversely ridged lateral teeth. Paphies (Paphies) Lesson, 1831 (= Machaena Gray ex Leach MS., 1843, = Taria Gray, 1853) is used for the New Zealand species of Paphies, which are all large and have smooth or weakly pustulose lateral teeth. Paphies (Amesodesma) Iredale, 1930 is regarded as a further subgenus to contain the Australian P. elongata (Reeve, 1854) (= Mesodesma angustum Reeve, 1854, = M. nitidum Reeve, 1854, = Amesodesma perfugum Iredale, 1930), the Philippine P. angula (Reeve, 1854), and the Indonesian P. altenai (De Rooij-Schuiling, 1972), which are all small and have oblique, protruding resilifers. The remaining small Australian species P. cuneata (Lamarck, 1818) (= Amphidesma glabrellum Lamarck, 1818) and P. erycinaea (Lamarck, 1818), which have almost vertical resilifers, are placed in the subgenus Paphies (Atactodea) Dall, 1895. The presumed holotype of Mactra subtriangulata Wood, 1828 shows that the valid name for the predominantly northern species of tuatua with a short, biangled posterior end of concave outline is Paphies (Paphies) subtriangulata (Wood, 1828). A lectotype designated for Mesodesma spissum Reeve, 1854 shows that this name is a synonym of P. subtriangulata (Wood). The holotype of Mya donacina Spengler, 1793, the syntypes of Mesodesma quoyi Deshayes, 1832, and the holotype of Mesodesma latum Deshayes, 1843 confirm that Paphies (Paphies) donacina (Spengler, 1793) is the valid name for the predominantly southern species of tuatua with a more elongate posterior end of convex outline. A neotype designated for Taria stokesii Gray, 1853 shows that this name is a further synonym of P. donacina (Spengler).