Vepricardium vidali spec. nov. (Bivalvia, Cardiidae), from southern Arabia, Oman and Yemen

5 Pages·2002·1.4 MB·Latin

by  Poorten, Jan Johan Ter

BASTERIA, 66:101-105,2002
Vepricardium vidalispec.nov. (Bivalvia,Cardiidae),
fromsouthernArabia,OmanandYemen
Jan+Johan terPoorten
Siriusstraat 57, 1223AMHilversum,the Netherlands;[email protected]
& HenkDekker
ZoologicalMuseum,University ofAmsterdam,DepartmentofMalacology,PO. Box94766, 1090GT
Amsterdam,the Netherlands;[email protected]
Vepricardiumvidali spec.nov. isdescribed fromthe Indo-West Pacific.
Keywords: Cardiidae,Vepricardium,newspecies, Oman,Yemen, IndianOcean
INTRODUCTION
Inthepast twenty-five yearsthe numberofspecies attributedtothe Indo-WestPacific
genus Vepricardium Iredale, 1929, has gradually increased. Whereas Lambiotte (1979)
counted only fourspecies, Voskuil &Onverwagt (1988), in theirreview ofthe genus,
recognised five, including their newly described V. rubrohamatum. Lee (1989), in an
overviewofthethenknown taxa, recognised six species (his unidentifiedoneis V.rubro-
hamatum). Vidal(2000) countedeight valid taxa, including V. albohamatumHylleberg &
Vidal,2000.Herewedescribeanothernewspecies, bringingthe totalnumberofRecent
Vepricardium species uptonine.
Abbreviations, for collections: MNHN, Museum nationald'Histoire naturelle,Paris,
France; NMW,NationalMuseumofWales,Cardiff, UnitedKingdom; TP,J.J.ter Poorten
colln,Hilversum, theNetherlands;ZMA,Zoological Museum,UniversityofAmsterdam,
Amsterdam,theNetherlands.Forshellcharacters: H, height; L, length; W, width.
SYSTEMATICPART
CardiidaeLamarck, 1809
CardiinaeLamarck, 1809
Vepricardium Iredale, 1929. Type species [by original designation]: Vepricardiumpulchrico-
statumIredale, 1929[= V.multispinosum (Sowerby II, 1838)].
Vepricardium vidalispec. nov. (figs 1-5)
Bucardium coronatum(Spengler,1799);Oliver,inDance,1995:244, fig.1076.
102 Basteria, Vol. 66, No. 1-3,2002
Material. —Holotype(rightvalve: ZMA4.02.010),Yemen,al-Mahrah,Wadi Masilah, 10km W ofwadi,
15°08'27"N 50°59'36"E,onthebeach (Tibia-IIExpedition, H.Dekker &F.G. deCeuninck vanCapelleleg.,
11.x.1995).Paratype1 (rightvalve:MNHN, coll.Vidal),Oman,Salalah,Raysut PowerStation,on thebeach.
Paratype 2(leftvalve [figuredbyOliver,1995: fig.1076]:NMW Z.1991.102.34),Oman,Seeb.,23°41'N58°H'E
(DonaldT. Boschleg.).
Description. — Shellrelatively large, slightly longer thanhigh,inflated, nearly equila-
teralandrathersolid.Umbosprominent, stronglyprosogyrate; margins rounded,poste-
riorandventral margins deeply crenulated.
With 35-42 radial ribs, smoothand very flattened, bipartite onposterior quarter; all
ribs ornamentedalong the posteriorflankwith an erect, calcareous andslightly waving
fringe, best preserved towards the margins. Anteriormostand posteriormost ribs of
approximate the same width as interstices, medianribs 2-3 timesbroader. Interstices
withnarrowly spaced microscopic growth-striae.Lunulemedium,smooth, notelevated;
lunularheart weakly defined;escutcheon prominent. Adductor scars relatively small,
locatedjust ventrally ofthe lateralteeth.
Hinge ratherstrongand broad,hinge-line weakly arched. Left valve:anteriorcardinal
erectandpointed, witha ridge in the middle.Posteriorcardinal,broken off in theonly
available left valve, probably only weakly developed. Anterior lateral pronounced,
wedge-shaped; posterior lateral only moderately prominent. Both with ventrally an
impression of theright valve lateral.Right valve:cardinalsequal, erectandpointed, joi-
nedby ahigh saddle.Ventralanteriorandposterior lateralspronounced, wedge-shaped;
dorsalanteriorandposterior lateralspoorly developed. Ventraland dorsallateralssepa-
rated by a deep,broadgroove. Lateralsapproximately equidistant fromcardinals.
Shell pale cream externally, posterior margin and interstices bright orange, umbo
pink. Internallywhite withyellow-orange posterior marginand purple areabelowliga-
ment.
Periostracal frillsare notobserved, presumably due to inadequate preservation ofthe
material.
Measurements.—Holotype: H,53.2mm, L,53.8mm, W,23.8mm;42ribs. Paratype
1: H, 54.0 mm,L, 55.1 mm, W, 23.5mm; 35ribs.Paratype 2: H, 54.3mm, L,55.1 mm,
W, 25.9mm; 37ribs.
Distribution.—Only known fromthe southernArabianPeninsula,from SE Yemento
the GulfofOman.
Remarks.—Thepatternofmicroscopic pustules, a characteristicfeatureonallconge-
neric species, evenonbeachworn material, isabsent. Thetypical fringe, placed on all
ribs, recalls therib sculpture inthe relatedfossil generaEuropicardium Popov, 1977,and
OrthocardiumTremlett, 1950.However, bothgeneraaredifferentin hinge characteristics
and outline.
The fact that thislarge species has remainedunknown to date, suggests arestricted
and probably subtidaldistribution.This distributionmightbe influencedby thepresen-
ceofcoldwater upwelling duringthe south-west monsoonalong southern Arabia.
Aspecimen from Aden,figured by Oliver(1992: pi. 22 fig. 12) as Bucardiumsp.,was
notavailablefor study; itcouldbelongto the newspecies here described.
TerPoorten&Dekker: Vepricardium vidalispec. Nov. 103
Figs 1-2. Vepricardiumvidalispec.nov., holotype(ZMA4.02.010),Yemen,al-Mahrah, WadiMasilah, onthe
beach; H53.2 mm. 1-2, rightvalve, outsideandinside,respectively.
104 Basteria, Vol. 66,No. 1-3,2002
Figs 3-4. Vepricardium vidali spec. nov., holotype (ZMA4.02.010),right valve, Yemen, al-Mahrah,Wadi
Masilah,on thebeach;H.53.2mm.3, detailofantero-ventral margin; 4,detailofpostero-ventralmargin.
Comparisons. —Shells ofthefollowing three Vepricardium species are mostsimilarto
thoseofV.vidalispec, nov.:
V.coronatum (Schroter, 1786), differingby itssmaller size, its moretapered posterior
side andthe lack ofrib ornamentationonthe first6-10anteriorribs (fig. 6);
V.asiaticum(Bruguiere, 1792), differingbythethinnershell, the 'hollowedstructure'of
the ribimpressions ontheshellinteriorandthe lackof the calcareousfringe ontheribs
ofthe anteriorhalfof theshell (fig. 7);
V.burnupi (Sowerby III, 1897), differingby its rib ornamentation, which consists of
transversely placed scales, whichonly posteriorly begin to forma calcareous fringe, its
smallersize andthelower numberofribs (fig. 8).
Etymology. —NamedafterMr.Jacques Vidal,in honourofhiselaboratecontributions
toabetterknowledge ofCardiidaetaxonomy.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Wearegrateful to Mr.Jacques Vidal(MNHN) formaking availableparatype 1 andto
Mrs. HarrietWood(NMW) forsending paratype2 forstudy.
TerPoorten&Dekker: Vepricardium vidalispec. Nov. 105
Figs5-8.Postero-dorsalview ofrightvalvesofVepricardiumspecies. 5, V.vidali spec. nov.,holotype;6,V.coro-
natum(Schroter, 1786),India,Madras,dredged(TP829), H38.3mm;7, V.asiaticum(Bruguière,1789),Sri
Lanka, Matara, offshore (TP 431), H 47.5 mm; 8, V. burnupi (Sowerby III, 1897), Mozambique,
trawled,depth50m (TP 342),H 37.8mm.
REFERENCES
LAMBIOTTE, M., 1979. Note surCardiumburnupiG.B.Sowerby, 1897.—Informations dela Societe Beige
deMalacologie7:49-50.
LEE, H.G., 1989.The cockles-charmand challenge.—AmericanConchologist 17: 14-16.
OLIVER, PG., 1992. Bivalved Seashells ofthe Red Sea: 1-330.Wiesbaden &Cardiff.
OLIVER, P.G., 1995. Bivalvia. In:S.PDANCE, ed.,Seashells ofEasternArabia: 194-281.Dubai,AbuDhabi
&London.
VIDAL, J.,2000. Genus VepricardiumIredale 1929 (Bivalvia,Cardiidae)with descriptionofanewspecies
from Thailand, Vepricardium albohamatumHylleberg &Vidal. — Phuket Marine Biological Center
SpecialPublication21:447-464.
VOSKUIL,R.PA.,&W.J.H.ONVERWAGT, 1988.StudiesonCardiidae. 1.Thegenus VepricardiumIredale,
1929,with descriptionofanewspecies. —GloriaMaris 27:86-91.