Lucilina nigropunctata (Carpenter, 1865) Carpenter, 1865

Schwabe, Enrico, Sirenko, Boris I. & Seeto, Johnson, 2008, A checklist of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Fiji islands, Zootaxa 1777, pp. 1-52 : 24-26

Lucilina nigropunctata (Carpenter, 1865) comb. nov.

( Figures 5 C, D)

Chresonymy in Kaas et al. (2006: 353).

Acanthopleura nigropunctata Carpenter 1865: 511 ; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 90; Kaas et al. 2006: 353.

Tonicia nigropunctata ; Dautzenberg & Bouge 1933: 419; Richard 1985: 414; Kaas et al. 2006: 353.

Tonicia seriegranulata Bergenhayn 1930a: 30 , pl. 2, figs 37–41, 44–49, 51, 51a (holotype SMNH 975, type locality: Fiji Islands, Viti Levu, Bau, Station 9., small offshore reefs, dead corals); Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 118; 1998: 168; Kaas et al. 2006: 353.

Lucilina tupauana Hull MS, Risbec 1946: 180, figs 126–129 (anatomy only) (syntype MNHN 6024, type locality: New Caledonia); Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 135; 1998: 191; Kaas et al. 2006: 353.

? Tonicia sowerbyi ; Leloup 1973: 1 (specimen from Noumea).

Tonicia seriogranulata [sic]; Leloup 1973: 6.

Tonicia (Lucilina) nigropunctata ; Kaas & Van Belle 1998: 131; Kaas et al. 2006: 353, fig. 148.

Locus typicus: Tahiti [17°38’S 149°25’W].

Primary type: Lectotype (USNM 19297), designated by Ferreira (1986: 259), not seen.

Type (s) without name-bearing function: One paralectotype ( SBMNH 35041), two paralectotypes (NHM).

Fiji records: Tonicia seriegranulata Bergenhayn 1930a: 30 , pl. 2, figs 37–41, 44–49, 51, 51a.

Material examined: ZISP: 2 adult spms, Vekai Island [17°34’S 178°49’W], Callisto St. 93, 0.5 m, leg. Boris I. Sirenko, 0 8 February 1975, wet; ZISP: 1 adult spm, Cicia Island [17°45’S 179°18’W], Callisto St. 84, 7 m, leg. Boris I. Sirenko, 0 6 February 1975, wet.

Habitat: The species lives under dead coral skeletons in shallow water or among living corals.

Distribution: The species is known from New Caledonia, Fiji and the Society Islands ( Kaas et al. 2006).

Remarks: The synonymy of Tonicia seriegranulata with Lucilina nigropunctata was suggested by Leloup (1973) and since then this idea has been accepted by some (e.g., Kaas & Van Belle 1980, 1998; Kaas et al. 2006), due to the identical structures of the valves, the girdle elements and the arrangements of the aesthetes.

However, following the suggestions of some authors (e.g., Strack 2003, Schwabe 2004, 2006a) the genus Lucilina is here restored as a separate genus and not considered a subgenus of Tonicia Gray, 1847 , differing from the latter mainly in having a multidentate second lateral tooth, whereas it is unicuspidate in Tonicia . Additionally the species of Tonicia are geographically restricted to the South Eastern Pacific region of Latin America with a single species in the Caribbean, while members of the genus Lucilina are widespread throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific.

† Lucilina nigropunctata (Carpenter, 1865) ( Figures 12A–D )

Fiji records: Lucilina sp. B Ladd 1966 partim: 23, pl. 1, fig.17.

Material examined: USNM 648218: 1 tail valve from the Ndalithoni Limestone of Vanua Mbalavu, Station 110B [17°14’S 178°57’W] (probably Pliocene); USNM: 1 (of two) tail valve from the Miocene (Tertiary f) Suva Formation on Viti Levu, Station FB-20.

Remarks: Ladd (1966) mentioned a tail valve and at least one intermediate valve from the Ndalithoni Limestone of Vanua Mbalavu [17°14’S 178°57’W] (probably Pliocene), and two tail valves from the Miocene Suva Formation on Viti Levu. The species description is quite good and clearly separates the species from L. lamellosa , based on the distinct longitudinal grooves in the pleural and antemucronal areas of this species. Reexamination of the available material has shown that the two tail valves (of three), although showing variations in the number and size of the ribs on the antemucronal area, should be identified as L. nigropunctata ( Figs 12A–D ). The taxonomic status of the single intermediate valve ( Fig. 12 E) remains unclear. With some doubt we leave it as Lucilina (see below), although the size (19.2 mm in width) and the smooth surface are also characteristic of a species of Onithochiton . As we did not study the specimens of Onithochiton quercinus of Cernohorsky (1978: 42, see above), we can not say with certainty if a larger species besides the below-mentioned Onithochiton societatis Thiele, 1909 occurs in Fijian waters. Nevertheless it does not belong to the same species as the remaining valves Ladd mentioned.

Figures

FIGURE 5. A, Acanthopleura gemmata (de Blainville, 1825), ZSM Mol 20061614: Fiji, Viti Levu, Laucala Bay, west side of Nukumbutho Island 18 ° 10.474 ' S 178 ° 28.343 ' E, dorsal view. B, Lucilina lamellosa (Quoy & Gaimard, 1835), ZSM Mol 20061625: Fiji, Viti Levu, Laucala Bay, west side of the Nukumbutho channel of the fringing reef opposite the USP, 18 ° 10.899 ' S 178 ° 27.971 ' E, dorsal view. C – D, Lucilina nigropunctata (Carpenter, 1865), ZISP: Fiji, Vekai Island [17 ° 34 ’ S 178 ° 49 ’ W]. C, dorsal view of the anterior portion. D, dorsal view of the posterior portion. E – F, Lucilina novemrugata (Bergenhayn, 1930), ZISP: Fiji, Vekai Island [17 ° 34 ’ S 178 ° 49 ’ W], Callisto St. 93. E, dorsal view of the anterior portion. F, dorsal view of the posterior portion. Scale bars A 5 mm, B – F 2 mm.

FIGURE 12. A – D, † Lucilina nigropunctata (Carpenter, 1865) A – B, tail valve (USNM) from the Miocene (Tertiary f) Suva Formation on Viti Levu, Station FB- 20. A, dorsal view. B, ventral ventral view. C – D, tail valve (USNM 648218) from the Ndalithoni Limestone of Vanua Mbalavu, Station 110 B [17 ° 14 ’ S 178 ° 57 ’ W] (probably Pliocene). C, dorsal view. D, ventral ventral view. E, † cf. Lucilina sp. intermediate valve (USNM) from the Ndalithoni Limestone of Vanua Mbalavu, Station 110 B [17 ° 14 ’ S 178 ° 57 ’ W] (probably Pliocene), dorsal view. Scale bars 2 mm.