Comments on some taxonomic changes affecting marine Bivalvia of the New Zealand region recently introduced in Huber's Compendium of bivalves, with some additional taxonomic changes

Abstract

The recent Compendium of bivalves by Huber [(2010) Compendium of bivalves. ConchBooks, Hackenheim] introduces a large number of taxonomic and nomenclatural changes across the Bivalvia, worldwide. In this paper, we discuss a number of these changes that pertain to the New Zealand fauna. Although many of Huber's changes are justified, we find that there are a significant number with which we disagree, noting that many of them have been made in poorly understood groups with what seems to us rather weak evidence for the change. We have been guided by the belief that, in such cases, one should opt for taxonomic stability and await stronger data. We also argue that in a number of these difficult groups such data are likely to be molecular. We note also that in reviewing some of these cases, it has been convenient to make a small number of original changes. Recent records of Lima mestayerae Marwick, 1924 are based on mislocalised specimens of Lima nimbifer Iredale, 1924 from eastern Australia. Specimens from the New Zealand region identified as Pteria avicula [sic] (Holten, 1802) are Pteria levitata (Iredale, 1939). We suggest also that Semele brambleyae Powell, 1967 is adventive, probably the Asian Semele vestalis (A. Adams in Reeve, 1853).

Keywords:

• taxonomy
• Solemyidae
• Nuculidae
• Nuculanidae
• Bathyspinulidae
• Yoldiidae
• Mytilidae
• Pteriidae
• Ostreidae
• Limidae
• Cyamiidae
• Gaimardiidae
• Semelidae
• Veneridae
• Mactridae
• Pholadidae
• Verticordiidae
• new synonymy
• adventive

Acknowledgements

We thank Wilma Blom and Dhahara Ranatunga (Auckland Institute and Museum) and Kathie M. Way and Phil Hurst (Natural History Museum, London) for images of type material of S. brambleyae and S. vestalis, repectively. Thanks to John Taylor (Natural History Museum, London) for comparing our images of the holotype of S. brambleyae with other Semele type material, and Raymond Coory (Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa) for photographing the holotype of S. brambleyae and for technical support. Alan Beu, Markus Huber, Winston Ponder and an anonymous reviewer provided invaluable feedback, which significantly improved the paper.