![Sample our Engineering & Technology journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5933/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Engineering-Tech.jpg"})
Abstract
New Zealand Cenozoic records of the warm‐water volutid genera Athleta and Lyria are reviewed. Six species of Athleta in two species‐groups are recognised: A. lata (probably Waipawan or Mangaorapan, Early Eocene), Athleta n. sp. A (Mangaorapan (?), late Porangan or early Bortonian, Middle Eocene); A. necopinata (Bortonian), A. marwicki n. sp. (Bortonian), A. taikoensis n. sp. (Mangaorapan to late Porangan or earliest Bortonian), and A. mimica n. sp. (Bortonian). Most species have a short recorded stratigraphic range and are therefore potentially useful for zonation. Athleta is not known after the Bortonian in New Zealand, and may have become locally extinct in response to a cooling episode. Volutospina (Athleta) huttoni pseudorarispina is synonymised with V. (Athleta) huttoni (both Altonian, Early Miocene). V. huttoni and other large Neogene volutes currently assigned to Mauira are transferred to Alcithoe. Athleta (Athleta) wangerrip (Paleocene, Victoria) is transferred to the subgenus Ternivoluta. The earliest records of Lyria from New Zealand are specifically indeterminate juvenile shells (probably representing two species) from Otaian and Altonian (Early Miocene) horizons at Parengarenga Harbour, Northland. The best‐known New Zealand species, L. zelandica is recorded only from the Long Beach Shellbed (Altonian), Clifden Section, Waiau River, Southland. Specimens from the Lillburnian (Middle Miocene) at Clifden and Fox River, Westland (Waiauan, Middle Miocene) apparently represent a related, undescribed species. The youngest record of the genus is L. n. sp. (?) aff. L. nucleus from Kaawa Creek, south‐west Auckland (Opoitian, Early Pliocene).
Notes
Bathgates Road, RD 10, Waimate, New Zealand. Email: [email protected]
