A New Cassification of the Australian Marginellidae (Mollusca), with a Review of Species from the Solanderian and Dampierian Zoogeographical Provinces

Abstract

A new classification is proposed for the Australian Marginellidae, both Recent and Tertiary. Most previous papers and all Australian papers have previously referred to the many species under one genus Marginella, though occasionally they have been subdivided into several sections without generic names. This subdivision has now been carried farther, and the approximately 200 -Australian species have been divided into 33 genera, of which 31 are new and 2 have been recently named from Japan. Of the 33 genera 22 are Recent and 20 Tertiary, and 9 Recent and Tertiary genera are considered congeneric. Figures are shown of all the type species, and a key is provided to those still living in Australian seas.

The second part of the paper reviews and figures all the known species from the Solanderian and Dampierian Zoogeographical Provinces. Species number 41, of which 33 are proposed as new. Of these, 37 are Solanderian and 9 Dampierian. Five species are common to the Solanderian and Dampierian and one to the Solanderian and Peronian, and one ranges through the Maugean, Flindersian, Peronian, Solanderian, and Dampierian Provinces.