Genus Gonimyrtea Marwick, 1929

Gonimyrtea Marwick, 1929: 912 .

TYPE SPECIES. — Loripes concinna Hutton, 1885 (original designation). New Zealand (Figs 12A, B; 13A) .

DIAGNOSIS. — Shell small, subcircular to ovate, higher than long, inflated. Sculpture of closely spaced, thin, low commarginal lamellae. Right valve with single cardinal tooth and small anterior and posterior lateral teeth, left valve with two cardinals, the anterior much larger and small anterior and posterior lateral teeth. Lunule narrow, lanceolate. Ligament short, curved, shallowly inset. Anterior adductor scar medium long, ventrally detached from pallial line for 1/3 of length. Pallial line thick, sometimes divided into rounded blocks.

REMARKS Concepts of this genus have been confused because Chavan’s (1969: fig. E7.3) illustration for Gonimyrtea was of an Eocene species with little resemblance to the type species. Chavan (1969) also regarded Alucinoma Habe, 1958 (type species A. soyae Habe, 1958), as a synonym of Gonimyrtea, but the shells are quite distinct. For example, A. soyae lacks cardinal teeth and has widely-spaced, commarginal lamellae.Because of this confusion we illustrate Gonimyrtea concinna here (Figs 12A, B; 13A).