Paracaudina luticola Hickman, 1962

Figures 11d, 15

Caudina chilensis . — Joshua and Creed 1915: 21–22 (part) (non Molpadia chilensis Müller, 1850).

Paracaudina luticola Hickman, 1962: 65–66, figs 131–139.— Hickman, 1978: 32, figs 25–44, pl. 2.— Pawson, 1977: 119.— Rowe, 1982: 471, fig. 10.35a.— Rowe and Gates, 1995: 265.

Material examined. Syntypes. Tasmania, Derwent Estuary, Ralph’s Bay, 13 m, 30 Jun 1959, AM J7205 (2).

Other material. Victoria, Shallow Inlet, mud/sand seagrass, intertidal, 2 Feb 1990, NMV F169342 (2); Wilson’s Promontory, Waratah Bay, Sandy Point, 31 Mar 1969, NMV F76072 (1) . South Australia, SAM K1379 (1) ; Aug 1886, SAM K1380 (1); St. Vincent Gulf, donated by SAM, NMV F45018 (3; labelled as determination by Joshua and Creed in 1915 as Caudina chilensis) ; St Vincent Gulf, mixed localities, Aug 1886, SAM K2484 (1); Adelaide Outer Harbour, Feb 1935, SAM K2505 (1); Port Stanvac, 6 Feb 1991, SAM K2499 (1) ; Henley Beach, SAM K2488 (1); Brighton to Semaphore, SAM K2494 (2); Largs Bay beach, 26 Aug 1971, SAM K2508 (1) ; Edithburgh, Sultana Point, sand bar, 8 Nov 2003, SAM K2489 (1); Sir Joseph Banks Group, Marum I., in Posidonia, 12 m, 11 Jan 1984, SAM K2497 (1) ; Port Lincoln, 22 Aug 1975, AM J9466 (1) ; Venus Bay, 1982, SAM K2500 (4) ; Edward Bay, N of Streaky Bay, 23 Oct 1986, SAM K2483 (1) . Western Australia, Bremer Bay, near Albany, on beach after storm, 5 Aug 1984, WAM Z31887 (1).

Diagnosis. Paracaudina species up to 137 mm total length, up to 19 mm diameter, caudal taper and discrete thin tail 52 mm long (up to 160 mm long live, Hickman 1978); long thin discrete tail; body wall thin, firm, parchment-like, variably wrinkled and transversely creased, preserved colour off-white to faint pink to grey; ossicles variable in form, similar from mid-body and tail, predominantly thick crossed cups, oval in form, large central perforation, lacking peripheral perforations, about 10– 12 projecting marginal knobs, fewer marginal surface knobs, central perforation spanned by discrete cross, each arm of cross with rounded knob-like end; ossicles never with bridging cross on one side and box on other side of central perforation; ossicles up to about 56 µm long.

Type locality. Tasmania, Derwent Estuary, Ralph’s Bay, 13 m.

Distribution. Southern Australia; southern Tasmania, north to Shallow Inlet (east of Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria), west to Streaky Bay (west side of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia) and Bremer Bay (near Albany in Western Australia); 0– 13 m.

Remarks. Hickman 1962 erected this species for caudal partspecimens only, but subsequently (1978) described whole specimens from the type locality. Ossicle size and form do not vary for body wall tissues taken from the main body and tail. The predominant ossicle form of thick four-holed cups with marginal and surface knobs and discrete cross is diagnostically distinctive for Paracaudina luticola Hickman, 1962 . Joshua and Creed 1915 determined specimens from South Australia to be Caudina chilensis (Müller) that showed a “very great variation”. We judged above, from their description, that some of the larger specimens were Paracaudina cuprea O’Loughlin and Barmos. We judge here, from their description of “about 70 mm long, white colour, markedly caudate discrete tail about half the length of the whole specimen”, that some of the specimens were Paracaudina luticola Hickman.