Memoirs of the
Queensland Museum.
VOL. X, PART L
Issued August 2Sth, 1930.
EDITED BY THE DIRECTOR, HEBER A. LONGMAN, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S.
ISSUED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR
QUEENSLAND, THE HON. A. E. MOORE.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
.Kronosaurus queenslandicus : A Gigantic Cretaceous Pliosaur — Heber A. Longman, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. 1-7
Text -figures 1-5
Ichthyological Miscellanea — Plate I ----- - Gilbert P. Whitley - - - - 8-31
Wasps of the Genus Cerceris in the Queensland Museum - - Professor T. D. A. Cockerell - - 32-36
New Australian Bees _ — — Professor T. D. A. Cockerell - - 37-50
Notes on a Fatal Epidemic Intestinal Disease of Goldfish — R. Hamlyn -Harris, D.Sc., and J. V.
Plate II Duhig, M.B. 51-54
The Marsupials of Queensland _______ Heber A. Longman, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. 55-64
The Glenormiston Meteorite — Plates III-VIII - — — - Professor H. C. Richards, D.Sc. - 65-72
Queensland Moliuscan Notes, No. 2 — Plate IX - - - - Tom Iredale 73-88
MEMOIRS OF THU QUEENSLAND MUSEUM, Vol. X., Part I.
KRONOSAURUS QUEENSLANDICUS.
A GIGANTIC CRETACEOUS PLIOSAUR.
By Heber A. Longman, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. (Director).
(Text-figures 1-5.)
In 1924 a new gigantic marine reptile from the Queensland Cretaceous was
described by the writer under the name Kronosaurus queenslandicus. * 1 The type
material consisted of a fragment of a very massive sauropterygian mandible,
svmphyseal region, with the remains, largely alveolar, of six very large thecodont
teeth. These teeth had a maximum diameter of 40 mm., and it was suggested
that they attained at least 250 mm. in total height, being comparable
•with those of Pliosaurus grandis. This fragment was forwarded from
Hughenden, Central-western Queensland, by Mr. Andrew Crombie in 1899.
It is pleasing to be able to record that, through the kindly interest and
enthusiasm of Mr. H. A Craig, Mr. W. Charles, Head Teacher of the Hughenden
State School, and Mr. N. E. Anderson, additional material of this marine reptile
has been found. This was discovered in August, 1929, by these three gentlemen
near a locality in which Mr, Charles had previously found fossils “ two miles
south of Hughenden.” In all lifteen fragments were forwarded, but some of
these were small specimens that were so much abraded that none of the
original contours were preserved. The two largest fragments consisted of the
proximal ends with portions of shafts of two long bones, which are of out-
standing significance, as they apparently represent the largest marine reptile
yet recorded. As will be seen, the dimensions of the preserved portions are
in excess of the corresponding measurements for M egalneusaurus rex (Knight) 2
from Jurassic beds, Wyoming, America, previously regarded as the largest known
Pliosaur, first described as Cimoliosaurus rex . 3
When the type of Kronosaurus was described it was realised that it
represented a gigantic form, and although these later fragments from Hughenden
arc disappointing in their state of preservation they add much to our knowledge
of this Cretaceous Pliosaur, especially in regard to its dimensions, although mere
size is not, of course, an index to importance.
Note. — In Greek mythology Kronos, son of Uranos, swallowed his first five children, lest
they should livo to depose him. The sixth child, Zeus, was saved by his mother, Rhea, and
ultimately deposed his father from the Olympian throne. — A. S. Murray’s “Manual of
Mythology.”
1 1924 : H. A. Longman, Mem. Qld. Mus., viii, pp. 26-28.
: 1895 : W. C. Knight, Anver. Journ. Sci., 4th ser., vol. v, p. 378.
* 1895: W. C. Knight, “Science,” vol. ii (n.s.), p. 449.
2 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
In this connection, however, it is of interest to quote the words of Dr.
F. W. Whiteliouse in regard to our Ammonites in the Family Aconeceratidse :
“ The outstanding feature of these Australian forms is their enormous size.
Each species is represented by individuals far larger than any known member of
the family in the other continents.” 4
Text-figure 1 . — Kronosaurus queenslandicus . Fragment of Left Humerus, Posteroexternal view,
with massive trochanteric buttress. (Approximately I natural size.)
Cratochelone berneyi, a giant turtle described by the writer in 1915, is
also an exceptionally large form, and it is suggested that the probable
4 1927 : F. W. Whitehouse, Mem. Qld. Mus., ix, pt. 1, p. 113.
KMONOSA UHUS QUEENSLAND1CUS.
3
mediterranean nature of our ancient Cretaceous sea was suitable for the development
of a few megalomorphic species, perhaps owing to lack of competition. There is
an alternative suggestion that these forms were approaching extinction, a phase
which is often associated with megalomorphism.
In addition to these long bones, there is a fragment of the proximal end
of a mandible, an incomplete centrum and two distal fragments of a long bone,
but these are too abraded to yield much evidence.
Text-figure 2 . — Kronosaurus queensUmdicus. Section through abraded head and trochanteric
buttress of Left Humerus.
The incomplete limb-bones have evidently been subjected to colossal
strains. In the first place, the fracture of the massive cylindrical shafts, which,
when unabraded, attained at least eight inches in diameter, must have been the
result of tremendous pressure. Apart from the fractures, the areas of abrasion
are very considerable, and in the longer specimen much of the articular surface
of the head has been lost. When the two bones are placed in juxtaposition,
however, making due allowance for abrasion, there is so much similarity between
the contours of the articular surface and the buttress for the attachment of
muscles that they have been interpreted as right and left humeri. In view of
their incompleteness, and also of the lack of outstanding distinctions between
the femora and humeri of these paddle-limbed reptiles, the possibility of an error
is here recorded, and additional material may show that one or both of these
fragments may be femora.
4
MEMO IKS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Text-figure
3 .—Kronosaurus queenslandicus. Fragment of Right Humerus ;
(Approximately J natural size.)
inner aspect.
Text-figure 4. — Kronosaurus queenslandicus. Section through abraded head and trochanteric
buttress of Right Humerus.
kronobavrus queen slandicus.
As long ago as 18715 John Phillips pointed out that isolated femora and
humeri were not always easy to distinguish. With a complete hone, distincti\e
diagnosis is usually gained from the contours of the distal region.
Dimensions of fragments : —
Left humerus, 480 mm. in length to fracture.
Maximum antero-posterior diameter of head (very incomplete), 234 mm.
Maximum diameter across head and trochanteric buttress (abraded), 292 mm.
Diameter of shaft, taken ten inches from proximal surface, 200 mm. ,
circumference, 585 mm.
The contour of the shaft near the region of fracture is somewhat
oval, indicating the usual compression of the distal region.
Right humerus, 340 mm. in length to fracture.
Maximum antero-posterior diameter of head (abraded), 281 mm.
Maximum diameter across head and trochanteric buttress, 275 mm.
Owing to the differential abrasion the diameters of the head are markedly
different in the two specimens, but this is obviously due to bad preservation.
In the second or shorter fragment the antero-posterior contours of the head
appear to be almost complete, and the maximum diameter is 281.
In so far as comparisons may be made, the measurements of the long
bones of Kronosaurus queenslandicus slightly exceed those tabulated for
Meijalneusaurus rex by Knight (loc. cit.). The length of the complete humerus
of the Wyoming specimen was 991 mm., and if the robustness of the Hughenden
limb-bones was also reflected in their length the complete bone of Kronosaurus
exceeded a metre.
In these Hughenden bones the convex articular surfaces slope outwards
and downwards towards the massive buttress of the trochanter, which is
centrally situated on the main axis of the bone and forms a projecting ridge.
The contours are shown in Text-figures 1 to 4, but it should be emphasized
that, owing to prolonged abrasion, the dorso-ventral diameter of the head in
the longer specimen, or left humerus, is considerably greater than that of the
convex articular surface in its antero-posterior extent. In the shorter specimen,
or right humerus, where the abrasion has been more uniform, the two diameters
are subequal.
When viewed from above the massive trochanteric process is almost
quadrangular, owing to the pronounced projection of its upper part, below
which it slopes sharply away on the external surface, subsiding into the sub-
circular shaft.
In his first description of Plesiosaurus trochanter ius, 9 subsequently
transferred to the genus PUosaurus , 5 6 7 Richard Owen pointed out that the long
5 1871: John Phillips, Geology of Oxford, p. 362.
6 1839 : R. Owen, Rep. Brit. Assn., p. 85.
7 1861 : R. Owen, Mon. Foss. Rept,., Kimmeridge Clay, p. 7.
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
6
bones of this gigantic . Plesiosauroid species “deviate from the usual structure of
the humerus and femur in that genus ( Plesiosaurus ) in having a strongly
developed trochanterian ridge projecting from the outer side of the head of the
bone : this process is of considerable breadth, stands well out from the surface
at its upper part, then gradually subsides, and is lost in the upper third of
the humerus ” (p. 85).
KIIOKOSA VliXJS Q L ' KEN SLA NDICUS.
The buttress-like process in these bones of Kronosaurus, whether inter-
preted as a trochanter or as a tuberosity, appears to have been more prominent
than the corresponding structures in Megalneusaurus, Pliosaurus, or Peloneustes.
A pronounced depression on the postero-external surface of the longer
specimen, below the buttress-like process, probably marks the insertion of
powerful coraco-brachiales muscles, which pulled the humerus backwards and
downwards.
The abraded surfaces are somewhat coarsely cancellous in appearance, and
when viewed under a lens a curious irregular honeycombed effect is noticeable.
There are two fragments, over 200 mm. in length, in this series, which
come from the distal end. These have been cleft in the median line of the
main axis. Probably they represent the distal end of the same long bone, but
since the initial cleavage so much abrasion has taken place that this cannot be
positively stated. When placed in juxtaposition these two fragments present a
distal end of about 400 mm. in antero-posterior width, with a maximum
thickness of 134 mm. in the central region. In cross-section the bone is a
flattened oval, and towards the anterior and posterior borders the thickness is
much reduced. The articular area is fairly complete, but the fractures on the
shaft are very irregular.
Embedded in a mass of matrix on the articular surface are the proximal
remains of two bones, the radius and ulna, assuming the fragments to represent
a humerus. Prolonged abrasion has so reduced these antebrachial elements that
no useful information can be gained from them, but the ventral surface of the
radius may have been very concave.
D. M. S. Watson in his interesting studies of the Elasmosaurid Shoulder-
girdle and Forelimb. 8 and his reconstruction of the musculature from relatively
well-preserved bones, points out that the Plesiosaur limb “ is essentially a rigid
oar.” In the large-headed types with elongated humeri, the structure of the
fore-limb and girdle provided the mechanism for swift movement in ocean
waters. Watson suggests that these large-headed forms, with their enormous
gape, fed on large animals which were captured by superior speed.
C. W. Andrews’s restoration, of the skeleton of Peloneustes philarchus,
from his valuable Catalogue of the Marine Reptiles of the Oxford Clay,
published by the British Museum, has been reproduced (Text-figure 5) to illustrate
the general structure of a Pliosaur. 9
Acknowledgments.
I am indebted to Dr. Anderson, of the Australian Museum, Sydney, for
a transcript of W. C. Knight’s paper on Megalneusaurus from the American
Journal of Science, and to Mrs. Estelle Thomson for her excellent drawings.
1924 : D. M. S. Watson, P.Z.S., p. 914.
1913: C. W. Andrews, Catal. Mar. Kept. Oxford Clay, pt,. 2, Brit. Mus.
8
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
ICHTHYOLOGICAL MISCELLANEA.
By Gilbert P. Whitley, Ichthyologist, The Australian Museum, Sydney.*
(Plate I.)
The Director of the Queensland Museum has kindly submitted for
determination an interesting collection of fishes from that institution. With
the exception of a fine specimen of Chcetodon ( Citharcedus ) meyeri (Bloch &
Schneider) from Ivaewieng, New Ireland, and a Triorus reipublicm (Ogilby)
labelled Papua, all the .specimens came from Queensland, and a selection from
them forms the basis of this paper. Some nomenclatorial notes which more or
less directly concern Queensland fishes are also included and a few allied
Western Australian forms have been compared with the eastern species. Fishes
from Low Isles, North Queensland, will be dealt with in a forthcoming report
on the fishes collected there in association with the British Great Barrier Reef
Expedition, and it is hoped that the taxonomic notes in the present paper will
help to lighten the burden of synonymy in the Low Isles report. Some of
these notes may seem to be rather brief, but are nevertheless the result of close
study of specimens and literature and may be amplified in future ; it is
necessary to introduce them in their present form to provide for various
hitherto unrecognised items " a local habitation and a name.”
The work on the ichthyology of Queensland performed during the last
five years may be here reviewed, so that those who desire to keep the list of
Queensland fishes up to date may have the means at their disposal. A list of
the fishes recorded from Queensland waters was provided in the eighth volume
of these Memoirs in 1925, and a bibliography containing 174 references was
appended thereto. This list was mainly concerned with the period from about
I860, when Gunther’s Catalogue was being produced, to modern times,' so that
it is probable that an analysis of literature anterior to the Guntherian period
would bring to light interesting early records of Queensland fishes. The fish-
fauna of this State is so rich and varied that additional species, both endemic
and extralimital, will doubtless be recorded from its waters for many years to
come, and much careful research will have to .be undertaken before any sort
of coup-d mil of its fauna can be obtained. The troublesome noniina nuda of
Saville-Kent will have to be disposed of with care, preferably by being relegated
to the synonymy of known Queensland species, and the types of the less known
species of De Vis, Castelnau, and others must be re-described and figured before
much original w T ork can safely be performed.
By permission of the Trustees of the Australian Museum.
ICKTH VO LOGICAL M IS( 'ICLLANEA .
9
The late A. R. McCulloch’s Check-List of the fishes recorded from
Australia, recently issued as a Memoir of the Australian Museum, embraces the
Queensland fish-fauna and serves as an up-to-date basic catalogue. Several
expeditions and groups of private individuals have made extensive collections
in Queensland, notably on the Great Barrier Reef, in the last five years, and
reports on them bv various authors have appeared in the Memoirs of the
Queensland Museum and the Records of the Australian Museum. An account
of the fishes of the Capricorn Group was given in the fourth volume of the
Australian Zoologist. In 1926, two parts of the Biological Results of the
Fishing Experiments carried on by the F.I.S. “ Endeavour” were published, a
number of Queensland fishes being dealt with in them. Amongst the smaller
contributions to Queensland ichthyology should be mentioned the description,
by Nichols & Raven, 1 of a new Rhadinocmtrus from the Babinda district and
the renaming of an Aseraggodes by Chabanaud. 2 In Australia, Hamlyn- Harris 3
has discussed the efficacy of mosquito-controlling fishes in Queensland, and
Bancroft 4 has continued his valuable observations on the Lungfisb. In addition
to these technical accounts, popular articles have appeared in the Australian
Museum Magazine, wherein Hhnantura granulate, (Macleay) was recorded from
Queensland. Passing references to fishes from Queensland are made in the
excellent work on the ichthyology of the Philippines and Oceania being done
by Fowler 5 and his associates, and also in the latest volume of Weber &
Beaufort’s Fishes of the Indo -Australian Archipelago. Several Queensland
Chsetodontidse are included in Aid’s monograph 6 of that family, and the
Rhinobatidse have been revised by Norman. 7
Family ATHERINID.E.
Pranesus ogilbyi gen. et sp. nov.
Eye very large. Head with scales above and on cheeks. Rami of
mandibles not elevated posteriorly. Premaxillaries slender, not dilated posteriorly,
and without a notch along their sides. Premaxillary processes short, their
length less than half diameter of eye. Fine teeth on jaws and vomer. Gill-
rakers slender and numerous. Body moderately robust, completely scaly. Anus
situated between adpressed ventral fins. Dorsal fins widely separated. One
anal spine. Caudal forked..
This new genus is practically identical with Hepsetia as defined by
Jordan & Hubbs, 8 but their conception of Hepsetia Bonaparte 9 does not appear
1 Nichols & Raven, American Museum Novitateg 2!)(S, Feb. 1. 1928, pp. 1-2, fig. I.
2 Chabanaud, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (10) v, Feb. 1, 1930, pp. 241-243.
3 Hamlyn-Harris, Proe. Roy. Soc. Qld. xli, 3, July 26, 1929, pp. 23-38, pis. i-viii.
4 Bancroft, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales liii, 3, July 16. 1928. pp. 315-317.
5 Fowler, Mem. Bern. Bish. Mus. x, 1928 ; Fowler & Bean, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 100, 1929.
6 Ahl, Arehiv. Naturg. Ixxxix, A, 5, May 1923, pp. 1-205, pis. i-ii.
7 Norman, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1926, pp. 941-982.
8 Jordan & Hubbs, Stud. Iclith., Monogr. Atherin. 1919, pp. 14, 31.
s Bonaparte, Icon. Faun. Jtal. iii, Atherina hepsetus, e. 1836, p. 2 ( fide Sherbom).
10
MEMOIltS OF THE QUEEN SLANT) MUSEUM.
to be accurate. Sherborn, in his Index Animalium, considers Hepsetia Bonaparte
as a possible error for Hepsetus Swainson. 10 The latter genus has been over-
looked by most ichthyologists and is apparently based on Hydrocyon hepsetus
Cuvier, which is not an atherine, so that Swainson’s name may be dismissed
from further consideration here. Jordan & Hubbs regarded Atherina boyeri
Risso * 11 as the genotype of Hepsetia Bonaparte, but Sherborn’s citation of the
original reference, which is not accessible to me, strongly suggests that Atherina
hepsetus Linne is the tautotype, in which case Hepsetia becomes an absolute
synonym of Atherina Linne.
Under these circumstances, 1 consider it necessary to provide the new
name Pranesus ogilbyi for the Australian atherine hitherto known as Atherina
pinguis or Hepsetia pinguis Lacdpede. Ogilby 12 suggested that the Queensland
form might be distinct from the typical Mauritius species, so I propose the specific
name in honour of that accomplished ichthyologist. The type of the species is
the Moreton Bay specimen in the Queensland Museum figured in his paper.
Family A LOG ON I ILL.
Genus LOVAMIA nov.
Orthotype, Muttus fasciatus White. 13
Preopercle serrated on vertical limb and angle. Orbit entire. Jaws
without distinct canine teeth. Small teeth in jaws and on vomer and palatines ;
none on tongue. A flat opercular spine. Maxillary not reaching vertical of
hinder margin of eye.
Scales large, ciliated, in about 25 transverse series on body and in two
rows between the complete lateral line and the back. Depth about one-third
standard length and not much less than length of head. Body with dark
longitudinal bands. No subcutaneous peritoneal tube above anal fin.
Seven smooth, pungent spines in anterior dorsal fin, which is separated
from the posterior dorsal. Vent not far in advance of anal fin, which is short,
with two spines and eight or nine rays. Caudal bilobed, without pungent
spines.
The species accommodated by the genus Lovamia have been dealt with
by Radcliffe 14 and by McCulloch. 15 A useful key to some genera of Apogonidse
has been compiled by Jordan & Jordan. 16 Apogon endekatcenia Bleeker 17 is
a species of Lovamia.
10 Swainson, Nat. Hist. Classif. Fish. Amphib. Rept. i, Oct. 1838, p. 259.
11 Risso, Ichth. Nice 1810, p. 338, Mediterranean Sea.
12 Ogilby, Mom. Qld. Mus. i, 1912, pp. 37-38, pi. xii, fig. 1, and text-fig. a.
13 White, Voy. N. S. Wales, 1790, p. 2G8 and plate. Ex Shaw MS., Port Jackson, N.S.W.
14 Radcliffe, Proc. XT. S. Nat. Mus. xli, 1911, pp. 245-261, pis. xx-xxv.
15 McCulloch, Biol. Res. Endeavour iii, 3, 1915, pp. 115-120.
16 Jordan & Jordan, Mem. Carnegie Mus. x, 1, 1922, pp. 43-44.
17 Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. iii, 1852, p. 449.
ICHTHYOLOGICAL MISCELLANEA.
11
Lovamia is related to A pogon Lachpede, 16 but may be distinguished by
the larger scales, more denticulate preoperculum, dark longitudinal bands on
body, shorter maxillary and bands of teeth in jaws. Ma&rolepis Rafinesque 19
and Aplogon Agassiz 2 ' 1 are regarded as synonyms of Apogon Lacepede.
Amia was the generic name given by Gronow 21 to a fish from the East
Indies. Gronow’s work is non-binomial so his generic name is not available for
use. Gray 22 later revived Gronow’s name in a binomial form and he named the
East Indian species Amia percceformis from Gronow’s manuscripts. But Amia
Gray is preoccupied by Amia Linne, 1766, a different genus of fishes, and by
Amia Gistel, 1848, a genus of Coleoptera. The tvpe-species, Amia percceformis
Gray, is a synonym of Apogon mohccensis Valenciennes 23 according to Bleeker, 24
but as that species has maxillary reaching vertical of hinder margin of eye,
weaker dorsal spines, and no longitudinal bands on body, it also may be easily
distinguished from Lovamia. Meuschen 25 gave the binomial name Amia calva
to Gronow’s non-binomial genus and species, but his identification was incorrect,
as Amia calva Liime 26 is the American Bowfin, an entirely different fish. The
best course to pursue under these circumstances is to use the generic name
Gronovichthys for the unstriped Indo-Pacific species of “Amia.”
Genus GRONOVICHTHYS Whitley, 1929.
Gronovichthys Whitley, Rec. Austr. Mus. xvii, 6, Nov. 28, 1929, p. 302, footnote.
Orthotype, Amia percceformis Gray.
Similar to Lovamia, but with the maxillary reaching vertical of hinder
margin of eye ; no longitudinal bands on body ; dorsal spines weak.
Gronovichthys replaces Amia Gronow, 1763, non-binomial = Amia
Meuschen, 1781 and Gray, 1854, preoccupied by Amia Linne, 1766 {vide supra).
Genus VINCENTIA Castelnau, 1872.
Another genus of fishes which claims attention here is Vincentia Castelnau. 27
The haplotype is the South Australian V. waterhousii Castelnau, which is a
18 Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iii, 1802, p. 411. Haplotype, A. ruber Lacepdde = Mullus
imberbis Linnd. Bibron (Diet, pittoresq. hist. nat. i, 1833, p. 237) remarked “ C’est fort mal a
propos que Lacepede a considers le poisson qu’il a pris pour type do ce genre, le Mulle imberbe
( Mullus imberbis) d’ Artedi et de Linne.”
19 Rafinesque, Analyse Nat. 1815, p. 86. Nomen nudum.
20 Agassiz, Nomencl. Zool., 1846, Index. Univ.
21 Gronow, Zoophylac. Gronovianum, 1763, pp. 11 and 80, No. 273, pi. ix, fig. 2.
22 Gray, Cat. Fish coll. Gronow Brit. Mus., 1854, p. 173.
23 Valenciennes, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris, 1832, p. 54.
24 Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. vii, 1876, p. 93, pi. eocxxvii, fig. 1, as A. monochrous.
25 Meuschen, Index Zoophylac. Gronov. 1781, No. 273; Whitley, Rec. Austr. Mus. xvii,
1929, p. 302.
28 Linne, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, 1766, p. 500.
- 27 Castelnau, Proc. Zool. Acclim. Soe. Viet, i, July 15, 1872, p. 245, St. Vincent’s Gulf.
12
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
synonym of Apogon conspersus Klunzinger 28 which was described earlier (fide
Zoological Record). Vincentia may be distinguished from Lovamia and Grono-
vichthys by its united dorsals and much greater depth of body, the depth being
greater than length of head or about one-third total length.
Genus YARICA nov.
Orthotype, Apogon hyalosorna Bleeker, var. torresiensis Castelnau.
Preoperculum weakly serrated. Orbit entire. Jaws without canine teeth.
Small teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines ; none on tongue. Profile concave
over eyes. Maxillary reaching to below hinder half of eye. Scales large,
ciliated, in less than thirty transverse series on body and in two rows between
the complete lateral line and the back. Depth about one-third total length.
Six smooth strong spines in first dorsal, which is separate from the second.
Vent not far in advance of anal fin which has two spines and eight rays.
Caudal bilobed with somewhat pungent upper and lower spines.
Yarica hyalosorna torresiensis (Castlenau).
Apogon hyalosorna Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. iii, 1852, p. 63; et ibid.v, 1853, p. 329.
Amboina, Batavia, Sumbawa, and Sumatra.
Amia hyalosorna Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. vii, 1873, p. 96, pi. cecix, fig. 1. Id. Weber & Beaufort,
Fish. Indo-Austr. Archip. v, 1929, pp. 283 and 341.
Apogon torresiensis Castlenau, Offic. Rec. Philad. Exhib., Melbourne, 1 875, Intercolonial Exhibition
Essays ii, p. 9. Cape York, Queensland.
One (I. 4576) from Townsville, North Queensland. Presented by F. H.
Taylor. The range of Bleeker’s species may be extended to include Queensland.
Apogon torresiensis Castelnau is apparently conspecific but may be regarded as a
variety for the present, as the Queensland form appears to have a narrower
preorbital than that shown in Bleeker’s figure and other differences may be
found when comparison of series of specimens can be made.
Genus PRISTIAPOGON Klunzinger, 1870.
Pristiapogon Klunzinger, Verh. Zool.-Bot. Ges., Wien, xx, 1870, p. 715. Haplotype, Apogon
frcenalus Valenciennes.
Preopercle distinctly serrated on both limbs. Jaws without distinct
canine teeth. Seven dorsal spines.
Pristiapogon frsenatus (Valenciennes).
Apogon frcenatus Valenciennes, Nouv. Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris, i, May 1, 1832, p. 57, pi. iv,
fig. 4. New Guinea and Guam.
Three specimens (Austr. Mus. Regd. Nos. I A. 3987-3989 ) from Rat Island,
Port Curtis, Queensland, were collected by Messrs. Melbourne Ward and
William Boardman.
This species has not hitherto been recorded from Australia.
28 Klunzinger, Arch. Naturges, xxxvui, 1, early 1872, p. 18, Hobson’s Bay ?
ICHT1I VO LOGICAL MISCELLANEA.
13
Family LUTJANID/E.
Lutjanus erythropterus annularis (Cuvier & Valenciennes).
■ Lutjanus erythropterus Bloch, Nat. ansi. Fischo iv, 1790, p. 115, pi. ccxlix. “ Japan.”
? Mesoprion ruhcUus Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poise, ii, Oct. 1828, p. 475. Pondicherry.
Mesoprion annularis Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poise, ii, Oct. 1828, p. 484. Java.
? Mesoprion chirtah Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. ii, Oct. 1828, p. 488. Based on
“ Chirtah ” Russell, Fish. Vizag., 1803, pi. xciii. Vizagapatam.
IHaeope. met alliens Bleaker’, Nat. Gen. Arch. Ned. Ind. ii, 1846, Topogr. Batav. p. 524. Ex Kuhl
& Van Hasselt MS. Java (fide Weber & Beaufort, 1911).
Lutianus erythropterus Day, Fish. India, 1875, p. 32, pi, x, figs. 1-2. Id. Jordan & Thompson, Proe.
II. S. Nat. Mus. xxxix, 1911, p.453. Id. McCulloch, Biol. Res. Endeavour iii, 1915, p. 141
(Queensland). Id. Paradice & Whitley, Mem. Qld. Mus. ix, 1927, p. 85 (Pellew Group,
Gulf of Carpentaria).
One specimen (I. 4671) with D. xi/15 ; A. iii/ 10 ; P. 16 ; Sc. 48, six
rows of scales on notched preoperculum and more than ten oblique rows of
scales above lateral line. It was labelled as Lutianus sp., from “ Bribie Island,
Moreton Bay, Queensland. Pres. J. Freese. Colours in life : — Bright rosy red,
with numerous oblique golden lines.” It also has a dark blotch on upper half
of caudal peduncle, preceded by a contrasted light blotch, but no dark band
from eye to dorsal is distinguishable.
From Bloch’s figure of a slender fish with red fins and less than ten
rows of scales over a fairly straight lateral line, one would not identify this
specimen as Lutjanus erythropterus, but as Day saw Bloch’s type, and bearing
in mind the remarks of Jordan & Thompson on this species, I feel obliged to
use Bloch’s name for the species. The name Mesoprion annularis applies best to
the Queensland form ; it was proposed by Cuvier and Valenciennes for a
Javanese fish collected by Kuhl and Van Hasselt, whose manuscript name,
introduced by Bleeker, is a synonym.
The Queensland specimen resembles Lutjanus dodecacanthoid.es Bleeker 29
but has more oblique lines on body and the blotches on the tail, and agrees
better with Blcekcr’s figure 30 of L. chirtah, which is said to be a synonym of
L. erythropterus. The “ Chirtah” of Russell has very dark edges to fins. This
form is near L. malabaricus (Bloch & Schneider), from which the Queensland
specimen is distinguished by having more fin-rays, more oblique rows of scales
above lateral line, and a bald area around scales on temples.
Subfamily PA RADICIC HTHYIN/E nov.
Paradicichthys venenatus gen. et sp. nov.
(Plate I, fig. 1.)
“ Chinaman Fish” Paradice, Medical Journ. Austr. ii, 25, 1924, p. 650, fig. 1. Great Barrier Reef,
Queensland. Id. Paradice, Quart. Rev. Health Inspect. Assoc. Austr. iv, 3, July 1926,
p. 44, pi. i, fig. 5.
23 Bleeker, Atlas Icbth. vii, 1872, pi. ccxcvi, fig. 2.
30 Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. vii, 1872, pi. occi, fig. 1.
] 4
MEMOIRS OF TUB QUEEN SLANT) MUSEUM.
The following is a preliminary diagnosis of a new Lutjanoid fish from
North Queensland popularly known as the Chinaman Fish. It is hoped that
an extended description will be published later with an account of the skull
which has been prepared by Dr. H. L. Kesteven. The holotype is a large
specimen (7.4. 1554) from Townsville in the Australian Museum, and easts of
it are also exhibited in the Queensland Museum and in the Townsville Institute
of Tropical Medicine. Dr. Kesteven states (in MS.) that “ The skulls of
Paradicichthys and Etdis differ from the Lutjanoid skull in the peculiar shape
of the basioccipital bone, and in the form of the prefrontal bone and the
acrartete condition of the maxilla. This last feature is, perhaps, the most
important difference and fdone would justify the segregation of these and other
forms with similar skulls from the Lutjanidac.” Paradicichthys is, however,
nearer the Lutjanidse than the Sparidae, from which it differs mainly in having
a small patch of teeth on each palatine. It also has a subocular shelf and
the premaxillary separate from the maxillary.
D. x/lG ; A. iii/9 ; P. i/15 ; V. i/5 ; C. 15. L. lat. 56. L. tr. 9/1/21.
General bodily form of Lutjanus but with upper profile of head more
convex. An oblique groove before eye to below nostrils. Cheeks and opercles
scaly. Preoperculum entire, without notch. Greater part of nape, preopercular
border, preorbital, and the broad, convex interorbital area naked. Premaxillary
separate from maxillary which almost reaches vertical of anterior margin of
eye ; no supplemental bone. A single exterior series of strong, blunt, canine
teeth in each jaw, behind which are bands of smaller blunt conical teeth. Outer
canines enlarged anteriorly. A small patch of small tubercular teeth on each
palatine ; vomer toothless.
Body covered with cycloid scales which lie parallel with the dorsal profile
above the lateral line and do not extend over the dorsal or anal fins. Spinous
dorsal much lower than soft. Anal base short, the spines small. Pectorals
and ventrals long and pointed. Caudal strongly emarginate. Vent somewhat
in advance of anal fin.
General colour rosy or pinkish with darker and lighter zones arranged
transversely and longitudinally. After death, the colour is more uniformly
pinkish with some irregular violet spots on the body.
The flesh of this fish is sometimes poisonous as food. Dr. P. S. Clarke,
of Cairns, North Queensland, has treated many cases of Chinaman Fish
poisoning and has kindly supplied me with some interesting notes. He states
that this fish is generally found at a depth of ;\bout 60 feet and grows to a
weight of about 16 lb. Dr. Paradice noted that a weight of 9 kilograms or
20 lb. is attained. Length nearly 3 ft.
Specimens are in the Australian Museum from Townsville (Dr. Cilento ;
I A. 1554 , holotype) and from between 17° S. and 19° S. Lat. on the Great
Barrier Reef (Dr. Paradice; I A. 2073-2074); one of the latter, was illustrated
in Paradice’s reports.
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM., Vol. X , Plate I.
Figure 1 . — Paradicichthys vencnatus Whitley. Cast of holotype (plastotypej in Australian
Museum. Original from Townsville, Queensland. Austr. Mus. Regd. No. IA. 1554.
G. C. Clutton, 'photo.
Figure 2 . — Triorus reipublicce (Ogilby). Leetotype of Lactoplrys reipublicce Ogilby. Moreton
Bay, Queensland. Qld. Mus. Regd. No. I. 1064. G. X’. Whitley, del.
Fare page 14.
ICHTHYOLOGIC A L MISCELLANEA .
15
Family GERRIDJ3.
Gerres splendens De Vis.
(Text-fig. 1.)
Gerres splendens Do Vie, Proc. Linn. Soe. N. S. Wales ix, 2, Aug. 19, 1884, p. 400. Cardwell,
Queensland. Holotype in Queensland Museum. Id. Saville-Kent, Great Barrier Reef,
1893, p. 369 (listed only).
Gerres ? splendens McCulloch & Whitley, Mem. Qld. Mus. viii, 1925, p. 156 (listed only).
Re-description of the Holotype of Gerres splendens De Vis.
D. ix/10 ; A. iii/7 ; V. i/5 ; P. 16 ; C. 15 or 16. L. lat. circa 43.
L. tr. 4/11/0.
, Text-figure 1.
Gerres splendens De Vis. Holotype from Cardwell, Queensland. Qld. Mus. Reg. No. I. 94.
G. P. Whitley, del.
Head (48 mm.) 3T, depth (57) 2-6 in length to hypural (151). Eye (16)
3'0, snout (13) 3-7, interorbital (15) 3-2 in head. Pectoral 46 mm., second
dorsal spine 30, ventral spine 22, second anal spine 15, and depth of caudal
peduncle 17.
Profile rather gibbous over nape. Maxillary reaching to below anterior
third of eye. Bands of fine teeth in jaws. All opercles entire. Three rows of
scales on cheeks ; area behind maxillary groove scaled. Seven gill-rakers on
lower limb of first gill-arch.
Body covered with large cycloid scales in about 37 transverse series
between head and hypural joint and in 4 longitudinal series above lateral line,
some of the tubes of which are tilted upward posteriorly.
1G
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Dorsal and anal with dense scaly sheaths. Long axillary scales to ventrals.
Pectorals pointed, reaching level of vent. Caudal forked, but damaged.
Colour evidently silvery with black area at tip of first dorsal. Lye
dark bluish with bronze crescent on upper half of iris.
Described and figured from the holotype of Genes splendens De Vis,
kindly loaned to me for the purpose by Mr. H. A. Longman, to whom my
thanks are hereby tendered. This specimen is 151 mm. long from snout to
hypural joint or about 1\ in. in total length. Queensland Museum Registered
No. I. 11/94. Collected by Kendall Broadbent at Cardwell, North Queensland.
Variation and Affinities. — I have collected a series of young specimens of
this species amongst mangroves at Low Isles, North Queensland. Ihese show
slight variation. Depth a little more than 3 in length to end of middle caudal
rays in young, but 3 or less when larger. D. ix/10 ; rarely with 9 or 11 rays.
Second dorsal spine a little over 2 in depth. L. lat, 41 ; rarely 40, sometimes
42 or even 43-44 tubes. Upper caudal lobe subequal to head. Colour bright
silvery and without spots on body, but half -grown specimens sometimes with
indistinct bars of darker scales. Tip of first dorsal black, some dark spots
on dorsal rays.
Genes splendens differs from G. darnleyensis (Ogilby) 31 in having a larger
eye, shorter pectoral, and larger scales. Genes vaigiensis Quoy & Gaimard 32
is said to have 11 dorsal and 8 anal rays. Queensland records of Genes oyena
(Forskaal) and G. philippinus Gunther 33 may refer to Genes splendens. From
the former, as figured by Klunzinger, 34 the Queensland species appears to differ
in having smaller teeth, ten longitudinal rows of scales below lateral line, and
less even profile, whilst from Gunther’s species it is distinguished by having
different scale-counts.
Genus PAROCHUSUS nov.
Orthotype, Genes profundus Macleay. 30
Back elevated at origin of dorsal. Depth about one-half standard
length. No filamentous dorsal spines. Pectoral reaching to above anal fin.
This genus also includes Genes abbreviatus Bleeker, 36 the dental characters
of which are discussed in the eighth volume of the Atlas Ichthyologique, and
Genes cheverti Alleyne & Macleay, 37 but these species have fewer lateral line
scales than the genotype.
31 Ogilby, Mem. Qld. Mus. ii, Dec. 10, 1913, p. 80, pi. xxiii, as Xyst.cema. Type from
Darnley Island in Queensland Museum (No. I. 13/1074).
32 Quoy & Gaimard, Voy. Uran. Physic., Zool., 1824, p. 292, Rawak & Waigiou.
33 Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. iv, 1862, p. 258. Philippine Is.
34 Klunzinger, Pische Roth. Meeresi. 1884, p. 48, pi. v, fig. 1, as 0. aeyena.
35 Macleay, Proe. Linn. Soe. N. S. Wales ii, June 1878, p. 350, pi. vii, fig. 3. Port Darwin.
30 Bleeker, Verb. Bat. Gen. xxiii, 1850, Monoid., p. 1 1, and Nat. Tijdsehr. Ned. Ind. i, 1850,
p. 103. Batavia.
37 Alleyne & Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales i, Feb. 1877, p. 272, pi. vii, fig. 1.
Cape Grenville, Queensland.
ICHTHYOLOGICAL MISCELLANEA.
17
Family CH/ETODONTID.E.
Chsetodon rainfordi McCulloch.
Chcetodon rainfordi McCulloch, Ree. Austr. Mus. xiv, 1, Feb. 28, 1923, p. 4, pi. ii, fig. 1. Holbourne
I., Queensland.
One specimen (I. 4086), Barnard Group, Great Barrier Reef, collected by
W. E. J. Paradice.
Chsetodon citrinellus nigripes De Vis.
Chcetodon citrinellus Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. vii, April 1831, p. 27. Ex Broussonet
MS. Guam. Id. Cuvier, Regne Animal (Disciples’ edition), 1836, pi. xxxix, fig. 1 (type).
Name in genitive case, without description, in Gmelin, Syst. Nat. (Linne), ed. 13, i, 3, 1789,
p. 1269, footnote, ex Broussonet MS.
Chcetodon nigripes De Vis, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales ix, 3, Nov. 29, 1884, p. 463. Queensland.
Chcetodon citrinellus nigripes Ahl, Archiv. Naturg. Ixxxix, A, 5, 1923, p. 105.
One (I. 3372), coast of South Queensland.
Family PLATACIDiE.
Genus ZABIDIUS nov.
Orthotype, Platax novemaculeatus McCulloch. 38
This new genus is easily distinguished from Platax Cuvier 39 by its nine
dorsal spines. No notch between the spinous and soft dorsal fins. Soft dorsal
and anal fins with rounded margins, not produced into falciform lobes.
Barnard 40 considered Platax novemaculeatus McCulloch as possibly
belonging to the genus Chcetodipterus Laeepede, 41 but that genus has five dorsal
spines, falciform fins, and a notch between the two dorsals. An attempt has
been made by Fowler & Bean 42 to unite McCulloch’s species with Platax
pinnatus (Linne) which has been called P. teira (Forskaal) by Australian authors,
but I have examined Australian specimens identified as both species and regard
Zabidius novemaculeatus (McCulloch) as quite distinct.
Family FNOFLOSID.E.
Enoplosus armatus (White).
Chcetodon armatus White, Voy. N. S. Wales 1790, p. 264, fig. 1. [Ex Shaw MS. Botany Bay district,
New South Wales.]
Chcetodon constrictus Shaw, Zool. N. Holl., 1794, p. 17, pi. vi. [Botany Bay district, New South
Wales.] Plate published 1793.
Enoplosus white Laeepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iv, 1802, p. 641. Based on White, 1790.
The “ Zoology of New Holland,” by George Shaw, illustrated by James
Sowerby, and published in 1794, is a rare hook on natural history. Only one
38 McCulloch, Biol. Res. Endeavour iv, 4, Oct. 31, 1916, p 188, pi. lv, fig. 1. Off Gloucester
Head, Queensland. Holotype on deposit in Austr. Mus.
3 * Cuvier, Regne Animal, ed. 1, ii, ‘1817” = Dec. 1816, p. 334. Logotype, Chcetodon
teira Bloch (= C. pinnatus Linne).
40 Barnard, Ann. S. Air. Mils, xxi, 1927, p. 605.
41 Laeepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iv, 1802, p. 503. Haplotype, Chcetodon plumieri Bloch.
42 Fowler & Bean, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 100, viii, 1929, p. 21.
B
18
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
fish, Chcetodon constrictus, is described therein, but, as it has been overlooked
by most systematists, attention is called to it here. The type-locality of this
fish may be designated Botany Bay, New South Wales. The illustration of
Chcetodon constrictus is dated “ London Published Octr. 1, 1793, by I. Sowerby
& Co, No. 2. Mead place Lambeth.” The name is synonymous with Chcetodon
armatus White and Enoplosus white Lacepede, from the same district ; thus
Chcetodon constrictus Shaw = Enoplosus armatus (White).
Family TEUTHIDtE.
Genus NASO Lacepede, 1801.
Naso Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iii, 1801, p. 101. Ex Naseus" Commerson MS. Logotype,
N. fronticornis Lacepede, selected by Jordan & Fowler, 1902.
Nason Anonymous, Allg. Lit. Zeit. 1802 (3), Jan. 1802, p. 22. Emendation for Naso Lacepede
[fide Sherborn, Index Anim. ii, 17, 1928, p. 4255). Genotype, by present designation,
Naso fronticornis Lacepede.
Naseus Cuvier, Regne Animal ed. l,ii, “ 1817 ” = Dec. 1816, p. 331. E.r Commerson in Lacepede.
Sherborn quotes the anonymous introduction of the name Nason in
January 1802 in a work which I have not seen but which is apparently a
review of Lacepede’s book. Naso Lacepede “ 1802,” published in the tenth
year of the French Republic, therefore evidently appeared in 1801.
Subgenus CYPHOMYCTER Fowler & Bean, 1929.
Cyphomycter Fowler & Bean, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 100, vii, 1929, pp. 2, 264, and 273. Orthotype,
Naso tuberosus Lacepede.
T his may even be a valid genus, characterised by the convex hump on
the snout.
Naso (Cyphomycter) tuberosus Lacepede.
Naso tuberosus LacepMe, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iii, 1801, pp. 105 and 111, pi. vii, fig. 3. No locality
[= Mauritius].
Acanthurus nasus Shaw, Gen. Zool., Pise. iv. 2, 1803, p. 376, pi. li. Based on Naso tuberosus
Lacepede from “ Indian Seas” [i.e. Mauritius].
Naseus tuber Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. x, 1 835. p. 290. Based on Naso tuberosus
Lacepede. Mauritius (Commerson & others).
Acanthurus tuberosus Ogilby, Mam. Qld. Mus. iii, 1915, p. 135 (Rainel., Q). Id. McCulloch,
Austr. Mus. Mem. v, 1929, p. 275.
Naso ( Cyphomycter ) tuberosus Fowler & Bean, Bull. II. S. Nat. Mus. 100, viii, 1929, p. 273, fig. 19.
A 20-inch specimen (I. 4637) in the Queensland Museum from Yeppoon,
Queensland, and presented by Mr. J. Stevenson, has been identified by Mr.
T. C. Marshall as Naso tuberosus. A sketch of this fish, made by Mi-. Marshall,
shows that it is an old specimen with a hump developed below the anterior
portion ox the dorsal fin. The type-locality of this species is Mauritius and the
Queensland form may be distinct, but I hesitate to give it the new name it
probably deserves without fuller data at my disposal. An up-to-date work on
the fishes of Mauritius is greatly to be desired so that comparison may be
made between Mauritius, Indo-Pacific, and Australian forms. Although early
writers regarded them as c-onspecific, the fishes of Eastern Australia and those
of Mauritius are almost certainly distinct.
ICHTHYOLOGIC A L M 1 SC EL L . I X EA .
.lit
Family OPISTHOGNATHID^E.
Genus TANDYA nov.
Orthotype, Ognsihognathus maculatug Alleyne & Macleay. 43
Maxillary extending well beyond hind margin of eye, its distal extremity
truncate. Teeth of outer row in jaws larger than the others, except for an
inner row of strong teeth in the lower jaw. Scales cycloid, of moderate size,
in more than sixty and less than eighty transverse rows on the body. They
extend over shoulders but leave naked patches on each side of spinous dorsal
and above pectorals. Twelve dorsal spines, all simple. Caudal rounded.
Gill 44 made a new genus, Qnathypops, for [Opisthognathns] maxillosus Poey
and 0. microps Poey, “ with moderately small scales and maxillars passing
little beyond the eyes,” and his name has been employed for the Australian
species to be noted hereunder. The logotype of Gnafliypops is the Cuban
Opisthognathiis maxillosus Poey, 45 as selected by Jordan & Gilbert 46 who
redescribed the species. It differs from Australian forms in having eight dorsal
spines and a shorter maxillary.
Besides the genotype, my new genus includes two other Australian
species ; Opisthognaihus darwiniensis Macleay 47 from Port Darwin, and 0.
inornatus Ramsay & Ogilby 48 from Derby, Western Australia. These must
now be known as Tandya darwiniensis and Tandy a inornata respectively. The
type of the latter species is in the Australian Museum (I. 841) and was figured
by McCulloch. 49
The typo of Batrachus jmnciatulus Ramsay 50 is also in the Australian
Museum (/. 1254). This species, described from Torres Strait, is synonymous
with Tandya maculata.
Family BLENNIIDrE.
Several well-differentiated species have been described as belonging to
Blennius Linne, but obviously have no close relationship with that European
genus and would better be regarded as the orthotypes of new genera as
follows
Blennius intermedins Ogilby 51 may be called Pictiblennius ; this new genus
also includes Blennius tasmanianus Richardson. 52
43 Alleyne & Macleay, Proe. Linn. Soc. N.S. Walesi, 3, Feb. 1877, p.. 280, pi. ix, fig. 3. Palm
Is., N. Queensland (“Chevert ” Exped.). Type in Macleay Mus., University of Sydney.
11 Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sri. Philad. 1862, p. 241.
13 Poey, Memorias ii, 1860, p. 286.
16 Iordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. iii, 16, 1882, p. 942.
47 Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales ii, 4, June 1878, p. 353, pi. ix, fig. 3. Port Darwin,
North Australia. Type in Macleay Museum, University of Sydney.
48 Ramsay & Ogilby, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales (2) ii, 3, Nov. 30, 1887, p. 561.
49 McCulloch, Rec. West Austr. Mus. i, 1914, p. 215, pi. xxx.
60 Ramsay, Proe. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales viii, 1, June 19, 1883, p. 177. Name emended to
B. punctulatus by authors.
51 Ogilby, Mem. Qld. Mus. iii, Jan. 28, 1915, p. 127. Darnley I., Queensland. Type
in Qld. Mus.
53 Richardson, Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. iii, 1849, p. 129. Port Arthur, Tasmania.
'20 • MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Blennius rhabdotrachelus Fowler & Ball 53 is typical ol Rhabdoblennius.
Blennius snowi Fowler 54 is the orthotype of Nixiblennius.
Blennius longanus Jordan & Seale 55 may be named Dubiblennius .
Blennius latidavius Griffin 56 is the type of Zeablennius.
A well-marked group of New Zealand Blennies which includes Tripterygion
segmentatum McCulloch & Phillipps 57 and T. bucknilli Griffin 58 may be named
Notoclinops, with the former species as orthotype.
The Sabre-toothed Oyster Blenny of New South Wales which has been
identified by authors 59 as Petroscirtes variabilis Cantor 60 is not that species, but
requires a new subgeneric and specific name and may be called Petroscirtes
( Ostreoblennius ) s teadi. Mr. 1). G. Stead, after whom the species is named,
recently collected a fine specimen in Port Jackson, New South Wales, the type-
locality, with D. 31 ; A. 22; P. 14; V. 2 ; C. 11 ; depth 6-1 and head 3-9 in
length to hypural ; ventrals, pectorals, and caudal hyaline. It is proposed to
figure and describe this species more fully at a later date.
Schmeltz 61 noted Petroscirtes cyprinoides Cuv. & Yal. from Bowen, but his
record has been generally overlooked.
The Australian species of the subfamily Salariinse have been admirably
treated by McCulloch & McNeill 62 but I find it necessary to propose two new
generic names as the result of a study of numerous Queensland specimens.
Genus NEGOSCARTES nov.
Orthotype, Salarias irroratus Alleyne & Macleay. 63
Dorsal fins distinct. Large mandibular canines. Pectorals not nearly
extending to anal fin. Ground-colour light in tone, overlain with dark
reticulations. Seventeen dorsal and nineteen anal rays.
53 Fowler & Ball, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1924 (1925), p. 272. Wake Island.
61 Fowler, Mem. Bish. Mas. x, 1928, p. 431, fig. 71. Strong Island, Carolines.
55 Jordan & Seale, Bull. U. S. Bur. Fish, xxv, 1906, p. 420. Tonga.
56 Griffin, Trans. N. Z. Inst. Ivi, 1926, p. 542, pi. xcvi, fig. 1. Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
Type in Auckland Museum.
57 McCulloch & Phillipps, Rec. Austr. Mus. xiv, Feb. 28, 1923, p. 20, pi. iv, fig. 3. Otago,
New Zealand.
58 Griffin, Trans. N. Z. Inst. Ivi, 1926, p. 544, pi. xcvii. Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Type
in Auckland Museum.
59 Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. iii, 1861, p. 234. Port Jackson specimen only. McCulloch,
Austr. Zool. Handbook, i, 1922, p. 86.
60 Cantor, .Tourn. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 1849, p. 1182 ; Cat. Malay. Fish. 1850, p. 200. Penang.
61 Schmeltz, Cat. Mus. Godef. vii, 1879, p. 48.
62 McCulloch & McNeill, Rec. Austr. Mus. xii, 1918, pp. 9-23. pis. iii -iv.
63 Alleyne & Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales i, 4, March 1877, p. 337, pi. xiii, fig. 4.
Low Isles, Queensland. Id. McCulloch & McNeill, Rec. Austr. Mus. xii, 1918, p. 13, pi. iii, fig. 2
(Murray I., Q.).
ICHTHYOLOGICAL MISCELLANEA.
2 :
Genus CRENALTICUS nov.
Orthotype, Salarias crenulatus pallidus Whitley. 64
Dorsal notched. Upper lip crenulated. Mandibular canines small or
absent. Nineteen or more dorsal and anal rays.
In Crenalticus pallidus and G. crenulatus (Weber) the anal rays are
produced and thickened in males. Crenalticus meleagris (Cuv. & \ al.) 65 is
apparently congeneric.
Both these new genera differ from Salarias Cuvier in having the dorsal
fin excised between the spines and rays and in having canines usually present.
Rapiscartes Swainson (“ Alticus” Commerson in Lacepede) has more fin-rays
than Negoscartes and differs from Crenalticus in having the upper lip entire.
Family GOBIIDH5.
Gobiodon quinquestrigatus ceramensis (Bleeker).
Cfobius quinquestrigatus Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. xii, March 1837, p. 134.
Tongatabou.
Gobius ceramensis Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. iii, 1852, p. 704. Wahai, Ceram.
Gobiodon ceramensis Gunther, Journ. Mus. Godef. vi, 13 (Fisehe der Siidsee vi), 1877, p. 182,
pi. cix, fig. D.
One (/. 4545) from Bowen, Queensland, with very dark body and fins
and light-brown head ; another (/. 4546) from the same place is entirely
chocolate brown. Collected and presented by E. H. Rainford.
Family T.ENIOI DID/E.
Leme purpurascens De Vis.
Letne purpurascens He Vis. Proc. Linn. Son. N. S. Wales ix, 3, Nov. 29, 1884, p. 698. Brisbane,
Queensland. Id. McCulloch & Ogilby, Reo. Austr. Mus. xii, 1919, p. 206, pi. xxxi, fig. 3.
Tcenioides purpurascens Chabanaud, Bull. Soo. Zool. France Iii, 1927, p. 415.
One specimen (I. 4638) measuring 113 mm. in total length, from Five-
mile Rocks, Yeronga, Brisbane River. Presented by R. H. Walker.
Family ELEOTRIDtE.
Philypnodon grandiceps (Krefft).
Eleotris grandiceps Krefft, Proe. Zool. Soc. Loncl., July 7, 1864, p. 183. Upper Hawkesbury River,
N. S. Wales.
Philypnodon grandiceps Waite, Rec. Austr. Mus. v, 1904, p. 285, pi. xxxvi, fig. 2 (references and
synonymy).
Eour (/. 4548) from Bellevue Station, about eighty miles up the Brisbane
River. Presented by Mrs. Luinley Hill.
84 Whitley, Austr. Zool. iv, 4, April 1926, p. 235. North-west Islet, Queensland.
66 Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. xi, July 1836, p. 332, as Salarias: “ rapporte
par IV-ron de la terre de Van-Diemen.’’ Probably from North-Western Australia, as no Salarias
occurs in Tasmania and P.lron did not visit the Great Barrier Reef.
22 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Genus CALLELEOTRIS Gill, 1863.
Subgenus GERGOBIUS nov.
Orthotype, Eleotris tceniura Macleay.
Distinguished from Calleleotris by the fewer dorsal rays (13 instead of
19) and the ornate colouration.
Calleleotris (Gergobius) taeniura (Macleay).
Eleotris tceniura Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, v, 4, May 20, 1881, p. 624. Low Island,
Queensland.
This is the Queensland species which has’ been called Valenciennea
longipinnis by authors. Valenciennea Bleeker is preoccupied and the figure
of Eleotris longipinnis Lay & Bennett, described from the Loo (Loo Islands,
does not agree with Australian specimens so well as Macleay’s account of
E. tceniura, a specimen of which I have collected at the type-locality. For
references to literature concerned see McCulloch’s Check-List. 66
Family SYNANCEJIDtE.
Genus SYNANCEJA Bloch & Schneider, 1801.
Synanceja Bloch & Schneider, Syst. Ichth. 1801, p. 194; spelt Synanceia on p. xxxvii. Logotype,
Scorpcena horrida Linne, designated by Jordan Gen. Fish, i, 1919, p. 58.
Synanchia Swainson, Nat. Hist. Classif. Fish. Amphib. Kept, ii, July 1839, pp. 180 and 267 (not
p. 268 = Erosa Swainson) ; misprinted Synachia on p. 57. Errore pro Synanceja .
Bufichthys Swainson, Nat. Hist. Classif. Fish. Amphib. Kept, ii, July 1839, pp. 181 and 268.
Logotype, B. horricla Swainson (= Scorpcena horrida Linne), selected by Swain, Proc.
Acad. Nat. Sei. Philad. 1882 (1883), p. 277. Spelt Bufichthys by Hay, Fish. India 1875,
p. 162.
Synancidium Muller, Archiv. Naturges (Wiegmann) ix, 1, 1843, p. 302 and Abhandl. K. Akad.
Wiss. Berlin 1844 (1846), p. 163. Genus caslebs (“ Synanceia mit Vomerzahnen ”).
Logotype, Scorpcena horrida Linne, designated by Jordan, Gen. Fish, ii, 1919, pp. 169 and
201. Spelt Synancydium by Agassiz and by Scudder.
Synancia Agassiz, Nomencl. Zool. 1846, Index Univ., p. 358. Emend, pro Synanceja. Logotype,
Scorpcena horrida Linne, by present designation. Id. Swain, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad.
1882 (1883), pp. 277 and 304. Id. Regan, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (8) xi, 1913, pp. 171 and
176.
A difficulty which continually confronts modern systematists is the
fixation of genotypes for those genera which were originally proposed for
more than one species and in which there is neither orthotype nor tautotype.
The practice of using the first species or one chosen as the main species or
“ example” by the “ first reviser,” without a formal type-designation having
been made, is discarded as impracticable. The choice of logotypes for fish
genera has been made in scattered places in ichthyological literature by various
authors, and, whilst an endeavour is made here to quote the earliest type-
designations for every genus as far as possible, it is realised that much more
66 McCulloch, Austr. Mus. Mem. v, 1929, p. 367.
I OUT I! Y0L0G1CA L MISCELLANEA.
23
bibliographical work will have to be done by ichthyologists and their associates
generally before finality will be reached concerning the logotypes of some of the
earlier genera of fishes.
The case of Synanceja illustrates the difficulty which may be met with
when trying to trace the earliest genotype selection. This name was originally
proposed by Bloch & Schneider for the following species with “ Corpus nudum,
caput magnum, cavernosum” : —
1. horrida, p. 194. Ex Scorpcena horrida Linne. Bengal & Japan.
2. uranoscopa, p. 195. New species. Tranquebar.
3. verrucosa, p. 195. New species, figured on pi. 45. India.
4. didaetyla, p. 195. Ex Scorpcena didactyla Pallas. Indian Sea.
5. rubicunda, p. 196. Ex Trigla rubicunda Hornstedt. Amboina.
6. papillosus, p. 196. Ex Scorpcena cottoides Forster MS. New Zealand.
and “species non definiend*” p. 197. Ex Gron. Mus. 1, 46, n. 103; Zoophyl.
p. 87, n. 290 [apparently Scorpcena scrofa Linne, 1758.]
One of these species must, of course, be the genotype, and as there is
no tautotype it becomes necessary to search masses of ichthyological literature
to discover who first formally named a logotype. Tire most fruitful sources of
type-designations failed in this case : the French Dictionaries of Natural
History and all the available works of Cuvier, Bleeker, and Kaup. Bleeker 67
regarded Synanceia, founded on S. horrida, and Synancidium, founded on S.
verrucosa, as synonymous but designated no types for them. Gill 08 gave a
masterly exposition of the taxonomic tangles surrounding Synanceja but he
also named no genotype for it. A little earlier, Jordan and Starks 09 had
approached the same problem from another angle, but their passing reference
to the genus in question, “ Synanceia (horrida) — Synancidium = Bufichthya,”
cannot, in my opinion, be construed as a type-designation.
.The first selection of the logotype of Synanceja was apparently made by
Jordan, 70 who chose Scorpcena horrida Linne, “ by common consent.” He
later 71 regarded S. verrucosa Bloch & Schneider as the type of Synanceja “ as
first restricted by Midler, 1843,” but Muller made no tvpe-designation. On
the same page, Jordan stated “ S. horrida is type of Synancidium Muller,”
and, as this is the first logotype-designation for Muller’s genus which I have
been able to discover, Synancidium becomes an absolute synonym of . Synanceja ;
Jordan also came to that conclusion on p. 216 of the work cited.
T regard Synanchia Swainson as a mis-spelling of Synanceja, and follow
Bibron 72 in considering it a synonym of Synanceja. Another mis-spelling, or
67 Bleeker, Natuurk. Verlmnd. Holl. Maatsch. Wetensch. (3) ii, 3, 1874.
68 Gill, Proe. U. S. Nat. Mug. xxviii, 1905, pp. 221-224.
69 Jordan & Starks, Proe. U. S. Nat. Mus. xxvii, 1904, p. 156.
70 Jordan, Gen. Fish, i, 1917, p. 58.
71 Jordan, Gen. Fish, ii, 1919, p. 169.
72 Bibron, Diet. d’Hist, Nat. xii, 1861, p. 125.
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
emendation, is Synancia of Agassiz 1846, Swain 1883, and Regan 1913 ; to avoid
confusion, I name Scorpcena horrida Linne the logotype of each of these.
Another absolute synonym of Synanceja is Bujichthys Swainson, for which Swain
selected the same logotype.
Subgenus NOFUA nov.
Bleeker, in his “ Revision des Especes Insulindiennes de la famille des
Synaceoi'des,” regarded Synanceja horrida and S. verrucosa as congeneric because
a new species from the Moluccas which he called Synanceia platyrhynchus 73 was
intermediate in structural characters between the two species. However, I regard
S. verrucosa as typical of Synanceichthys Bleeker, 7 * and propose the new name
Nofua as a subgenus of Synanceja with S. plalyrhynchus Bleeker as orthotype.
The key characters given by Bleeker will serve to define it.
Synanceja horrida (Linne).
“ Ikan Swangi Tonwa ” Renard, Poiss. Mol. i, 1718, pi. xxxix, fig. 155 (fide Gronow).
“ Ikan Souangi Bezar” &c. Valentyn, Amboina iii, 1726, p. 399, fig. 170. Amboina.
“ Perea, alepidota : dorso monopterygio,” &c., Gronow. Zoophylac. Gronov., 1763, p. 88, No. 292,
pis. xi. xij, and xiii, fig. 1. Bengal.
Scorpcena horrida Linne, Syst. Nat. ed. 12, 1766, p. 453, No. 3. Based on Gronow and Valentyn.
Eastern India [—Bengal].
Scorpcena alepidota Bloch, Nat. ausl. Fische iii, 1787, p. 15 (fide Bleeker, 1874), pi. clxxxiii (horrida
on plate). East Indies.
Scorpcena horrida minor Mouschen, Ind. Zoophyl. Gronov., 1781, No. 292. [Bengal.]
Scorpcena horrida Bonnaterre, Tabl. Encycl. Meth. Ichth., 1788, p. 69, pi. lxxxviii, fig. 369, copied
from Bloch. (East Indies.) Id. Gmelin, Syst. Nat. (Linne), ed. 13, i, 3, 1789, p. 1217
(India).
Synanceja horrida Bloeh & Schneider, Syst. Ichth. 1801, p. 194 (Bengal).
Scorpcena horrida Laoi'pcde, Hist. Nat. Poiss. ii, 1802, pi. xvii, fig. 2 ; ibid, iii, 1802, pp. 258 and 261.
“ La Scorpene horrible ” Bose, Nouv Diet. d’Hist. Nat. xxx, 1819, p. 41 1, pi. P. 19, fig. 5 (Mer des
Indes).
Synanceia horrida Cloquet, Diet. Sei. Nat. li, 1827, p. 441. Id. Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat.
Poiss. iv, Nov. 1829, p. 440 (Java).
Synanceia grossa Gray, Illustr. Indian Zool. i, March 1830, pi. xcvii. Singapore. Also
spelt Symnacea grossa ; fide Sherborn, Index Anim.
Bufichthys horrida and grossa Swainson, Nat. Hist. Classif. Fish. Amph. Rept. ii, July 1839, p. 268.
Based on Lacep&de, 1802, and Gray, 1830.
Synancidium horrhlurn Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. ii, 1860, p. 144 (not Australian specimens).
Id. Day, Fish. India i, Aug. 1875, p. 162, pi. xxxix, fig. 3.
Scorpcena, nionstrosa Gray, Cat. Fish. coll. Gronow Brit. Mus., 1854, p. 117. Ex Gronow MS.
Equivalent, to Gronow, 1763.
Valentyn gave early pictures of stonefishes, as the species of this genus
are called, and his “ Ikan Sowangi Bezar” obviously represents a specimen of
73 Bleeker, Natuurk. Verhand. Holl. Maatsch. Wetensch. (3) ii, 3, 1874, pp. 11 and 14, pi. i,
fig. 2.
74 Bleeker, Ned. Tijdschr. Dierk. i, 1863, p. 234. Type, Synanceja verrucosa Bloch &
Schneider. Not seen ; quoted from Weber & Beaufort and from Jordan.
ICETllYOLOGIC A L MISCELLAXEA.
25
Synanceja horrida in which the contiguous bony bosses over the eyes are
depicted as star-like objects. Cuvier & Valenciennes regard this figure as
representing their Scorpoena diabolus, Valentyn’s fig. 342 is a conventional
representation of a stonefish, regarded as SynmceicMhyS verrucosus, which may
be mentioned in passing on account of its historical interest.
Synanceja horrida, is an Indian species which has been wrongly recorded
from Australia. The Australian Stonefish differs from descriptions and figures
of the true S. horrida in having the nuchal or stipratemporal crests larger,
the preorbital stay of different architecture, and the anal spines very small
and not pungent. There are more wart-like outgrowths on the body and the
lower pectoral rays are simple in the Australian species, which has been named
Synanceia trachynis by Richardson.
Synanceja trachynis Richardson.
Synanceia trachynis Richardson, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist, ix, July I, 1842, p. 385. Port Essington
(Gilbert). Type in British Museum. Id. Bleeker, Verliand. Akad. Arnsterd. ii, 1855, p. 8.
Synancidium horridum Gunther, Cat, Kish. Brit, Mus. ii, 1860, p. 144 (Australian specimens only).
Id. Klunzinger, Sitzb. Akacl. Wiss. Wien lxxx, 1, 1879, p. 367 (Port Darwin). Id. Saville-
Kent, Great Barrier Reef 1893, pp. 286 and 369, pi. xlvii, fig. 1 (Cooktown, Q.).
Synanceja horrida McCulloch, Austr. Mus. Mag. ii, 5, 1 925, p. 159, figs. (Thursday I., &c„ Queensland).
Id. Kestevcn, Rec. Austr. Mus. xv. 3, 1926, p. 225, figs. 10-15 (skull). Id. Tandy, Nat.
Hist. Mag. ii, 2, 1929, p. 89, fig. 11 (Low Is., Q.l Id. Whitley and Boardman, Austr.
Mus. Mag. Hi, 1929, i>. 369 and figs.
“ Cyanceihorrida” Stevens, Amat. Fish. Assoc. Qld., Ann. Rept. 1925-26 (1926), p. 5. Error.
Cynanceja (sic) horrida Paradice, Quart. Rev. Health Inspect. Assoc. Australia iv, 3, July, 1926,
p. 45, fig. (Torres Strait).
Apart from specimens met with by the British Great Barrier Reef
Expedition, with which I hope to deal elsewhere at a later date, I have
examined specimens of Synanceja trachynis in the Australian Museum from the
following localities Moreton Bay, Boyne Island, Port Curtis, Endeavour
River, Thursday Island, and Torres Strait, Queensland ; Port Darwin, North
Australia ; Port Hedland, Western Australia, and some extralimital forms.
The species has been wrongly recorded from Sydney by Castelnau 75 as
Synancidium horridum , and Waite 76 has noted it from Houtmans Abrolhos,
Western Australia.
Poisonous Properties of the Australian Stonefish— General remarks on the
poisonous properties of the Australian Stonefish cs, Synanceja, trachynis and
Synanceichthys verrucosus, have been made by Saville-Kent and other writers,
but the most recent account is by Duhig & Jones 77 who discuss in detail the
venom, dorsal spines, variability in poison-sacs, and the effects of the poison.
The specimens used by these authors were caught in Moreton Bay, South
75 Castelnau, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales iii, 1879, p. 351.
70 Waite, Rec. Austr. Mus. vi, 1905, p. 74.
77 Duhig & Jones, Mem. Qld. Mus. ix, 2, 1928, pp. 136-148, figs 1-8; Austr. Journ. Exp.
Biol. Med. Sci. v, 2, 1928, pp. 173-179 ; Nature, Sopt. 22, 1928, p. 454.
26
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Queensland. In “ Stone fishes and the Art of Camouflage,” McCulloch 78 wrote
about Synanceja trachynis, but his figure on p. 159 shows the dissected venom
apparatus of Synanceichthys verrucosus. Other notes on stonefishes, besides
those already quoted, have been given by Banfield 79 and Cleland. 80
Synanceja trachynis is said to reach a length of nearly 2 feet, but the
average size of my specimens is about 11 inches.
Family PLATYCEPHALIC.
Subfamily 1NEG0CII1NLE.
Genus SUGG RUX DUS nov.
Insidiator Jordan & Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. xxiii, Dec. 10, 1900, p. 368. Orthotype,
[ Platyceplialus ] rudis Gunther. Id. Jordan & Thompson, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. xlvi, 1913,
p. 70. Id. McCulloch, Biol. Res. Endeavour ii, 1914, p. 137. Id. Jordan & Hubbs, Mem.
Carneg. Mus. x, 1925, p. 286. Id. McCulloch, Austr. Mus. Mem. v, 1929, p. p)2.
Thysanophrys Jordan & Richardson, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. xxxiii, Feb. 28, 1908, p. 630; Check list
Fish. Philip Arehip. 1910, p. 53. Not Thysanophrys Ogilby, s. sir.
The generic name Insidiator Jordan & Snyder is perhaps preoccupied
by Insidiator Amyot, 81 a non-binomial genus of insects, but is certainly
preoccupied by Insidiator Oken, 82 a genus of fishes equivalent to Epibulus
Cuvier, 83 and may be renamed Suggrundus, with Platyceplialus rudis Gunther 84
as orthotype. This species is said to be equivalent to P. meerdervoortii Bleeker 85
and should thus be known as Suggrundus meerdervoortii.
Grammoplites Fowler 8 ® may be regarded as distinct from Suggrundus as
the lateral line is armed throughout with spines, whereas in the latter genus
there are spines only on the anterior portion.
in the past, a large array of species has been included under “ Insidiator ”
or confused with the distinct Thysanophrys Ogilby, 87 but work on these fishes
has been rendered much easier by Jordan & Hubbs’s excellent key to the
78 McCulloch, Austr. Mus. Mag. ii, 5, 1925, pp. 159-162, 3 figs.
79 Banfield, The Confessions of a Beachcomber, 1908, p. 143 and plate.
80 Cleland, Austr. Med. Gazette, Sept. 1912, pp. 3-30.
81 Amyot, Ann. Soc. Ent. France iii, 4, 1846, p. 481, non-binomial ( fide Sherborn, Index
Animalium).
8 ' 2 Oken, Allgemeiner Naturg., ITniv. Register. 1842, p. 199. Based on Epibulus Oken
i = Cuvier]. Tautotype, Sparus insidiator Pallas. See also Cloquet’s articles on “Filou” and
“ Insidiator” in Diet. Sei. Nat.
83 Cuvier, Regne Anim. ed. 1, ii, “ 1817 ” = Dec. 1816, p. 264.
84 Gunther, Kept. Voy. Challenger, Zool. i, 6, 1880, p. 66, pi. xxix, fig. B. Japan.
86 Bleeker. Acta Soc. Sei. Indo-Nederl. viii, 1860, p. 80, pi. i, fig. 3. Nagasaki, Japan (fide
Jordan & Richardson, Proc. II. S. Nat. Mus. xxxiii, 1908, p. 635).
86 Fowler, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. (2) xii, 4, June 10, 1904, p. 550. Orthotype, Coitus
scaber Linno. “ Lateral line armed with spines.”
87 Ogilby, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S, Wales xxiii, 1, 1898, p. 40. Orthotype, Platyceplialus
cirronasus Richardson.
I CUT': YOLOCrCAL MISCELLANEA.
27
Japanese genera of Platycephalic!®. Comparison of this with the key to
Japanese “ Thysanophrys ” given by Jordan & Richardson years before shows
that characters regarded as specific in 1908 prove on closer analysis and
elaboration to be generic in 1925.
Subgenus REPOTRUDIS nov.
Orthotype, Platycephalus macracanthus Bleeker. 88
Interorbital space less than vertical diameter of eye. Upper preopercular
spine enlarged, about equal in length to longitudinal diameter of eye. Anterior
third of lateral line with distinct upstanding spines.
Family OSTRACIUUE.
Genus TRIORUS Jordan & Hubbs, 1925.
Triorus Jordan & Hubbs, Mem. Carneg. Mus. x, 2, June 27, 1925, pp. 96 and 256. Orthotype,
Lactophrys trilropis Snyder.
The nearest allies of this genus are the Ostraciiclse with three-angled
carapaces. Tetrosornus Swainson 89 has only one spine on the back. Lactophrys
and Mhinesomus Swainson 911 have no spines on back and more than nine
dorsal and anal rays.
Triorus reipublicse (Ogilby).
(Plate I, fig. 2.)
' Ostracion concatenatin' Bleeker, Versl. Med. Kon. Akad. v. Wet. Afd. Natuurk xv, 1863, p. 443,
and Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierkunde ii, 1S65, p. 68 (Port Jackson). Id. Gunther, Cat. Fish.
Brit. Mus. viii, 18/0, p. 259 ( N . S. Wales specimen only). Not Ostracion concatenatus
Bloch, Nat. ausl. Fische i, 1 785, p. 101, pi. cxxxi, a West Indian species without spines on
carapace.
Lactophrys concatenatus Waite, Mem. N. S. Wales Nat. Club, ii, 1904, p. 57 (N. S. Wales— listed
only).
Lactophrys reipublicoe Ogilby, Mem. Qld. Mus. ii, Dec. 10, 1913, p. 92. New name for Ostracion
concatenatus of Australian authors (not Bloch).
Lactophrys stellifer Jordan & Thompson, Mem. Carneg. Mus. vi, 1914, p. 268. Note that Sydney
specimen differs from L. tritropis Snyder from Japan. Id. Jordan, Tanaka, & Snyder,
Journ. Coll. Sci. Imp. liiiv. Tokyo xxxiii, 1913, p. 431 (Sydney and Lord Howe Is.).
Id. McCulloch, Austr. Zook ii, 1922, p. 127 (not fig-). Not Ostracion stellifer Bloch &
Schneider, Syst. lehth. 1801, p. +99, pi. xcviii, which has four strong spines on lateral
ridge ; described from “America” but probably from Fast Indies or Japan.
Triorus stellifer McCulloch, Austr. Mus. Mem. v, 1929, p. 423.
D. 9 ; A. 9 ; P. i/10 ; 8 branched rays in caudal.
Eye (12 mm.) 1-6 in snout (19) or 1-2 in interorbital (15). Opening of
carapace around mouth (9) 2-7, gill-slit (6-5) 3-8, pectoral (15) 1-7 in head (25)
which is 2-8 in length of carapace (71), measured from tip of snout to anterior
88 Bleeker, Versl. Akad. Amsterdam (2) iii, 1869, p. 253. Amboina.
89 Swainson, Nat. Hist. Classif. Fish. Amphib. Kept, ii, July, 1839, pp. 194 and 323. Name
emended to Tetrosornus by Agassiz (Nomencl. Zook, Index Um'v., 1846) who notes that there
is a genus of microbes named Tetrasomt Corda, Alman. Caiisb., 1839.
Swainson, Nat. Hist. Classif. Fish. Amphib. Kept, ii, July 1839, pp. 194 and 324.
MEMOIRS OF TI1E QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
edge of lateral concavity before the tail. Depth, excluding spines (37-5), 2-7 in
• total length (103) and little less than width (40). Anal or dorsal base (6) 41,
caudal base (7) 3-5, height of dorsal or anal (12) 2-08 in head.
Profile steep, emarginate ; snout pointed. Interorbital markedly concave.
A small spine over anterior third of eye. Gill-opening more than half eye-
diameter and situated below posterior half of eye. Carapace with more
rugosities on head than elsewhere. Opening of carapace surrounding mouth a
little less than eye diameter. Lips fleshy. Ten long, separate, blunt teeth in
upper jaw, some of them movable ; eight similar teeth in lower jaw. Nostrils
in a groove before eye.
Carapace three-angled. A convex dorsal ridge extending from interorbital
to dorsal fin and bearing two strong spines. Lateral ridges almost horizontal,
not projecting strongly downwards, extending from sides of head to rear of
carapace and each bearing a prominent spine below and before the first dorsal
spine and preceded by a small spine ; another small spine below and before
the origin of the dorsal fin but no spine on lateral ridge below eye. Ventral
surface convex anteriorly, flattened or slightly concave posteriorly. Carapace
closed above and below tail ; dorsally it ends as a rounded process but
ventrally it is broadly truncate. Ten scutes between gill-opening and tail,
about five between eye and snout, seven along dorsal ridge, nine down sides
of body, and seventeen along median line of belly, those before anal space
rudimentary. Caudal peduncle as long as snout.
Dorsal high, its margin rounded, with the first ray simple and the rest
branched ; anal similar to dorsal. Pectoral with upper rays longest and with
a tubercle-like spine. Caudal rounded, a simple ray above and below.
Colour, after long preservation, uniform brown, lighter on soft parts,
spines and junction lines of scutes. Eye bluish. Teeth dark brown.
Described and figured from a specimen which I designate lectotype of
Lactophrys reipublicm Ogilby. It is 85 mm. in length from snout to base of
caudal and comes from Moreton Bay, Queensland. Registered No. I. 1064 in
the Queensland Museum.
I have examined thirty-six specimens from the collections of the
Queensland and Australian Museums from various localities, and regard them as
referable to the same species though further work on larger series might show
racial or varietal differences.
Compared with the lectotype, young specimens from Moreton Bay (Qld.
Mus. I. 325 ; Austr. Mus. I A. 4592) have two strong spines over eye, back
more elevated, and spines on lateral ridges more pronounced. An anterior
spine, on the lateral ridge, below the eye, is evidently lost with age. Fourteen
to fifteen median ventral scutes in young specimens. The body scutes may
also show growth-lines radiating from their centres to their corners and giving
them a starry appearance. The largest Australian specimen of this species'
I CHTH YOLO QIC A L Ml SC ELLA N EA .
29
I have seen is No. I. 328 in the Queensland Museum. It has a carapace of
108 mm. and the whole fish must have been over 6 inches long ; unfortunately
the tail is broken. It has sixteen median ventral scutes and smooth, starry
sides, and came from Moreton Bay.
A specimen labelled Papua (Qld. Mus. I. 327) is about the same size as
the type, having a carapace of 71 mm., but has rougher scutes and no supra-
orbital spines ; otherwise it is identical.
Large series of young specimens from New South Wales in the
Australian Museum have characters similar to those of the Moreton Bay form
but are slightly more elevated dorsal lv, more rugose on the sides, and some
have milkv-blue spots on caudal peduncle and posterior half of body. Spine
on each lateral ridge below eye present in all but the largest specimens. There is
also a median gibbosity before the dorsal fin and behind the spines which is
much more pronounced than in any Queensland specimen examined. A large
specimen from Port Jackson (Austr. Mus. IA. 4591 : carapace 105 mm.,
standard length 123) differs from Ogilby ’s type in being much more rugose all
over and has slightly smaller eye, lower fins, and more convex post-anal margin
of carapace. In very small specimens, notably in a series from Bondi, New
South Wales (Austr. Mus. A. 5537-5542), the belly is rounded and the lateral
ridges point downwards and outwards.
Prom Lord Howe Island, the Australian Museum has two specimens.
One (I. 7862) with a carapace of 56 mm. is similar to New South Wales
specimens, but the other (/. 4360) is of interest because of its large size.
This specimen has a carapace of 152 mm. and a total length of nearly 9
inches. All the spines on the ridges are obsolete and the depth is about half
the length of the carapace. Width 70 mm., orbit 20, interorbital 24.
Triorus reipublicce (Ogilby) resembles T. iritropis Snyder 91 but differs in
having much fewer rugosities, winch are chiefly restricted to the head. The
snout of T. reipublicce is more acutely pointed with the profile straight rather
than convex and there is generally no spine on lateral ridge below eye. The
opening of the carapace surrounding the mouth and the size of the gill-slits
also appear to differ from those shown in Snyder’s figure.
Triorus reipubliae is probably pelagic, at least when young. One
■specimen was found in the stomach of a snapper trawled off Port Stephens,
New South Wales. The species ranges from New Guinea and Queensland to
New South Wales and Lord Howe Island.
Triorus pyxis sp. nov.
In addition to the series of T. reipublicce (Ogilby), in the Australian
Museum, there are tw r o specimens of a new species from Western Australia.
91 Snyder, Proc. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. xi, May 26, 1911, p. 535, as Lactophrys. Misaki, Japan.
Type later figured in vol. xlii, 1912, p. 424, pi. ftv, fig. 1.
30 MEMOIRS OF TEE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
This novelty is closely allied to the eastern Australian form but differs as-
follows : — •
No spines over orbit. Groove for nostrils more excavated. Junction of
scutes not so straight and even as in T. reipublicce but each scute margined
with close-set grooves at right angles to its edge, which is correspondingly
notched. Rugosities not so pronounced, more in the form of rounded,
reticulating irregularities of surface. Lateral scutes immediately before the
caudal peduncle forming a sculptured shelf which is more evident in T. pyxis
than in T. reipublicce , to which it is similar, though scarcely identical, in other
details. Five scutes on dorsal ridge. Nine dorsal and anal rays.
Holotype [I A. 394 ) and paratype {I A. 39-5) in Australian Museum, from
Cottesloe, near Perth, Western Australia.
Genus ACANTHOSTR ACTON Sleeker, 1866.
Acanthostraeion pentacanthus (Bleeker).
Ostracion pentacanthus Bleeker, Act. Soc. Sci. Ind. Neerl. ii, 1857, p. 98. Amboina.
Ostraeion (Acanthostraeion) fornasini Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. v, 1865, p. 34, pi. cciii, fig. 4. Amboiua,
Not O. fornacini Bianconi from Mozambique.
One specimen (Qld. Mus. 1. 1375) from Southport, South Queensland ;
presented by V. J. Hargraves. Length of carapace 84 mm. New record for
Australia. This tropical species has been recorded from New Zealand as
Ostracion fornasini, but it is doubtful whether it occurs so far south.
The species called Ostracion (Acanthostraeion) fornasini in Bleeker s Atlas
Ichthyologique is probably not 0. fornasini Bianconi 92 from Mozambique, but
is O. pentacanthus Bleeker from Amboina. Bianconi’s original description is not-
available in Australia, but Barnard 9,5 states that Lactoria fuscomaculata von
Bonde is a synonym. Von Bonde’s illustration 94 shows a species with thicker
mouth region, more depressed dorsal spine, less branched caudal rays, and
smaller anal spines than Bleeker’s figure represents. The Queensland Museum
specimen, compared with von Bonde’s figure, differs in having the head a little
over 3 in length of carapace, scutes of chin, breast, and posterior part of sides
particularly rugose, no dark band from eye to pectoral, and markings on body
tending to form wavy lines.
Gunther 90 figured an allied form with much stronger preorbital and anal
spines than the Indo-Australian species possesses. Ftis figure apparently
represents a distinct Hawaiian species, named Lactoria gal-eodon by Jenkins. 96
92 Bianconi, Nouv. Ann. Sci. Nat. | Bologna) (2) v, March 1846, p. 115 ; fide Sherborn, Index
Animalium ii, 10, 1926, p. 2490.
93 Barnard, Ann. S. Afr. Mus. xxi, 2, 1927, p. 963.
94 Von Bond.-. Kept. Mai in? Survey S. Afr. iii, 1924, p. 38, pi. ix, fig. 1. as L. fuscolineata.
95 Gunther, Journ. Mus. Godeff. vi, 17 (Fische der Sudsee ix), 1910, p. 457, pi. clxx, figs.
Jenkins, Bull. IT. S. Fish. Comm, xxii, 1902 (^ept. 23, 1903), p.. 487, fig. 34. Honolulu.
B B '.
I CE TH YU LOGIC A L MI, SC ' E L LA YEA
3]
Family TETRAQ DONTI DTE.
Spheroides (Lagoeepbalus) inermis Temminck & Schlegel).
Tetraodon inermis Temminck & Schlegel, Faun. Japan., Poiss., 1850, p. 278, pi. cxxii, fig. 2.
Simabara Bay, Japan.
An 18-inch specimen (I. 4657) from Woody Point, Moreton Bay.
Presented by G. Thompson.
Genus TORQUIGENER nov.
Orthotype, S-pheroides tuberculiferus Ogilby.
A row of papillae before the gill-openings. Chin prominent, deep,
plicated. Nostrils in the form of a rounded papilla with two perforations.
Nine or ten dorsal rays. Dorsal and anal fins elevated, acute. Caudal fin
rounded but with the outer rays slightly produced. Lateral line system well
developed. A fold on each side of body. Skin of back, sides, and belly with
spaced spines.
Torquigener tuberculiferus (Ogilby).
Spheroides tuberculiferus Ogilby, Mem. Qld. Mus. i, Nov. 27, 1912, p. 61, pi. xiv, fig. 1. Moreton
Bay and Wide Bay, Q. Id. McCulloch, Biol. Res. Endeavour iii, 1915, p. 168 (not figure).
Three specimens (1. 348) from Moreton Bay.
Torquigener tuberculiferus vicinus subsp. nov.
Spheroides tuberculiferus McCulloch, Biol. Res. Endeavour iii, 3, April 21, 1915, p. 168, pi. xxxiv,
fig. 1. Western Australian specimens only.
After comparing Western Australian specimens with typical Queensland
forms, I regard the Australian Museum specimen figured by McCulloch as the
type of a new subspecies. It is closely allied to T . tuberculiferus but has the
spines of the ventral surface not extending so far forward on to the chin,
nostrils in higher papillae, and smaller spots on cheeks.
The following new names have been proposed in this paper : —
Subfamily : Paradicichthyince. Genera or subgenera : Crenalticus, Dubi-
blennius, Gergobius, Lovamia, Negoscartes, Nixiblennius, Nofua, Notoclinops,
Ostreoblennius, Paradicichthys, Parochusus, Pictiblennius , Pranesus, Repotrudis,
Rhabdoblennius, Suggrundus, Tandya, Torquigener, Yarica, Zabidius, and
Zeablennius. Species : Paradicichthys venenatus, Petroscirtes ( Ostreoblennius )
steadi, Pranesus ogilbyi, and Triorus pyxis. Subspecies : Torquigener tuberculiferus
vicinus.
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
9
WASPS OF THE GENUS CERCERIS IN THE
QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
By T. D. A. Cockerell.
Cerceris hackeriana n. sp.
Female (type). Length about 13 to 15 mm. ; black, marked with red
and yellow ; head and thorax above with short ochreous pubescence ; head
massive, face very broad, orbits diverging below; sides of face above mandibles
with appressed ochreous hair ; clypeus black, finely punctured, the lower margin
with four obtuse dentiform lobes, the upper part with a large outstanding
lamina, its basal part broad and yellow, its apical part narrower, dark reddish,
and bifid, ending in a pair of shining nodules ; mandibles robust, strongly
curved, dark red, with a yellow spot at base, the apical portion black, with a
red spot at tip ; antenna? entirely ferruginous ; front and vertex dull and
densely punctured, but a shining space at each side of ocelli : yellow lateral
face- marks broad but short, ending obliquely at about level of antennse ; an
elongate yellow spot behind the top of each eye ; thorax very coarsely
punctured, but area of metathorax convex, polished and smooth, weakly obliquely
striate at sides ; light marks of thorax consisting of a pair of cuneiform yellow
marks on prothorax above ; tubercles dull red, scutellum with a broad red band,
obtusely excavated in middle behind, and postscutelluin with an interrupted
yellow band on red ground ; tegulae clear, ferruginous ; wings strongly brownish,
darker along upper margin ; coxa? black, marked with cream-colour apically ;
legs otherwise ferruginous, the femora marked with black behind, the mark on
the anterior ones confined to the base ; abdomen strongly punctured, petiole
broader than long, red at base, apex and sides, and with a small yellow spot
on each side ; second tergite black, with an entire apical yellow band ; third
with apical margin dull red, fourth with an apical yellow band margined with
reddish, fifth with the basal two-fifths black, and the rest dull red; apex red,
the pygidial plate broad, but narrowing apically.
Male. Length about 11*5 mm. ; more slender; disc of clypeus occupied
by a large subquadrate lemon-yellow area, and the bidentate lamina wholly
absent ; face narrowed, lateral marks much narrower, spots behind eyes small
and pyriform ; scutellum entirely black ; black on femora more extensive, on
anterior ones not confined to base ; abdomen with yellow bands on second and
fifth tergites, third all black, fourth with red hind margin, fifth and apex red.
The petiole is longer than broad.
Two females, one male : Tooloom, N.S.W., Jan. 1926 (//. Hacker). Nearest
to C. opposita Smith, but easily known by the clypeal lamina of the female,
and other characters. C. opposita is a considerably smaller insect.
WASPS OF THE GENUS CERCEPJS IN THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
33
Cerceris goddardi n. sp.
Female (type). Length slightly over 10 mm. ; black, with yellow
markings and a little red ; hair scanty and pale, but forming rather conspicuous
ochreous tomentum on fifth tergite ; head, thorax and abdomen densely and
strongly punctured, head broad, face very broad, orbits diverging below ;
clypeus short and transverse, its middle portion convex, its lateral portions
band -like, the whole pale yellow except the lower margin of the middle portion
which is black, and furnished with a pair of small tubercles on each side, the
inner ones much the smallest ; below the middle, the clypeus is expanded into a
broad deeply emarginate or excavated lamina, the margin reddish, and ending
on each side in a dark rounded angular projection (perhaps analogous to the
structure in C. armigera Turner, but that is said to be apical, and not a
lamina from the disc) ; mandibles externally yellow suffused with reddish, the
apex black ; lateral face-marks broad, light yellow, ending obtusely a little
above level of antennae, the inner margin convex ; a narrow yellow line from
near middle ocellus to upper end of supraclypeal area ; four equally spaced
yellow spots on top of head, the outermost behind top of eyes ; antennae black
above, dull ferruginous beneath, including scape ; niesothorax very coarsely
sculptured, entirely black ; prothorax above with a pair of large broad-cuneiform
light-yellow marks ; tubercles black ; scutellum somewhat shining, with sparse
large punctures, and a yellow spot at each side ; postseutelluin with a yellow
band ; metathorax with a pair of very large, long-oval, whitish marks, approach-
ing below ; the area large, triangular, dull, minutely roughened, with a delicate
median sulcus, mesopleura not tuberculate ; tegulae bright ferruginous ; wings
dusky hyaline, darker in costal region, stigma orange ; second cubital cell very
broad, receiving recurrent nervure at middle (beyond middle in G. hackeriana) :
legs black, with knees, tibiae, and tarsi ferruginous ; abdomen with petiole
considerably longer than broad, black at base, pale yellow in middle, red at
apex ; second tergite with a large crescentic yellow mark on each side, third
black, fourth with apical half yellow, fifth with a narrow apical yellow band
and the extreme margin red ; pygidial plate broad, ferruginous, the apical
corners angulate ; venter not modified.
Male. Length about 9 mm. ; clypeus yellow, convex, with no lamina ;
frontal yellow stripe reaching clypeus ; black bands between upper part of
clypeus and lateral marks narrow ; scape short, swollen, orange in front ; no
yellow' spots at top of head ; tegulse orange, black at base and narrowly in
front ; scutellum entirely black ; second [cubital cell not broadened, its outer
side incomplete above (the same on both sides), recurrent nervure received
distinctly before the middle ; third cubital cell not so produced apically ;
nervures darker ; stigma less brightly coloured ; anterior and middle trochanters
and femora red in front ; second tergite with a broad bright-yellow band,
narrower in middle, and with a linear (suffused) red interruption ; fourth and
fifth tergites with yellow bands ; pygidial plate mainly black, but dark red at
apex and sides, and on each side of it a yellow spot ; venter simple. The
sixth tergite has a rather obscure yellow band, failing in middle.
C
34
MEMOIRS OF TEE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Two other males are smaller, with a pair of yellow spots on seiitellum,
the tibiae and tarsi yellow, the band on second tergite broad and entire, the
pygidial plate yellow, with a small dark mark at base.
One female, three males : Dunk Island, Queensland. The female collected
May 1914 (Hamlyn- Harris) ; the males August 1927 (II . Hacker). Mr. Hacker
marked the female “ near opposita Srn.” ; it is easily known from that species
by the structure of the clypeus. The males caused me a good deal of
perplexity ; at first I had them set apart as a distinct species, and even
thought the larger and smaller males might be different. I conclude, however,
that the whole series represents a single variable species, but commend the
matter to investigators on the ground, who may be able to reverse this decision.
The male is very much like that of G. venusta Sin. in many respects, but the
lateral-face marks do not extend so far toward the middle of the face, the
femora are largely black, the metathorax is spotted, the band on postscutellum
is entire. In C. venusta the second cubital cell receives the recurrent nervure
very near the base. The new species is named after Professor E. J. Goddard,
in recognition of his organisation of the survey of the Dunk Island fauna.
Cerceris calida Turner, 1915.
Female : Babinda, Queensland, July 18, 1923 (IT. C. Dormer). The
emarginate apex of clypeus is I feel sure not the morphological margin, but the
emarginate lamina of C. goddardi, in this species becoming subapical. The
second cubital cell is small and triangular, receiving the recurrent nervure
about or a little before the middle. The second tergite is clear red, with a
broad yellow base. The species was described from Kuranda.
Cerceris darrensis n. sp.
Female. Length about 8 mm., rather slender, coarsely punctured, black
with few light markings, the thorax being entirely black, except for a couple
of obscure red spots on prothorax above ; head very broad, with silvery hair
at sides of face ; clypeus, broad lateral marks (very broad below, narrower
above, truncate a little above level of antennae), and under side of scape
creamy-white ; scape above clear red ; flagellum strongly blackened above,
clear red below ; mandibles little curved, black at apex, red in middle, yellowish
white at base ; lower margin of middle lobe of clypeus broadly black, shining,
with a small median tooth ; disc of clypeus with an extended conical pointed
spine or lamina, the apical part of which is black ; a small round shining
somewhat elevated yellow spot behind the top of each eye ; area of meta-
thorax rather small, triangular, moderately shining, but rugosopunctate, with a
tendency to oblique striae ; other parts of metathorax extremely coarsely and
densely punctured ; teg u l;e ferruginous, the margin anteriorly orange ; wings
hyaline, marginal cell and apex dusky ; stigma dark reddish ; second cubital
cell small, receiving recurrent nervure ■well before middle ; legs basally black,
knees red, anterior and middle tibiae light yellow in front, infuscated behind ;
hind tibiae black, yellowish at apex and with a rather obscure yellowish stripe
WASPS OF THE GEE US CEJSCMMS IN THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 3o
behind ; anterior and middle tarsi pale, hind tarsi dark fuscous ; petiole
broader than long, its apical margin red ; second tergite black, obscurely
reddish at base ; third dull red, somewhat blackened in middle, with an apical
interrupted pale yellow band ; fourth black ; fifth black, with a broad but
obscure pale reddish band ; pygidial plate broad, dark red, blackened apically.
Pleura and venter simple.
Darra, Brisbane, Dec. 14, 1915 (77. Hacker). In Turner’s table it falls
near C. opposita, but it is very distinct by the structure of the clypeus and
other characters. C. unispinosa Turner, from Darra, has a name which would
have been appropriate for this species, but it is quite a different insect. Mr.
Hacker had labelled this as a new species.
Gerceris brisbanensis n. sp.
Female. Length hardly 6-5 mm. ; rather slender but with broad head,
strongly punctured, black with pale ornaments ; hair scanty and white,,
appressed and silvery on clypeus ; mandibles pale yellow with long black apex ;
face pale yellow, with a rather narrow black band from each antenna down to
clypeus, leaving an elevated yellow frontal carina, broadened below ; lateral
face-marks ending in an obtusely subangular manner halfway up front ; a
broad pale-yellow stripe behind eyes, the upper part divided, separating the
usual postocular spot ; a gently curved yellow 7 band across top of head,
interrupted in middle ; margin of middle lobe of clypeus black, but it is
overhung by a very broad short lamina, broadly and rather shallow'ly emargi-
nate, with a dark rounded tubercle at each side, and anterolateral to these,
on the true margin, is a shiny dark tubercle ; scape yellow 7 in front and
behind, a little dark at apex ; flagellum long, dark brown above, testaceous
below 7 ; prothorax and mesothorax entirely black, or prothorax may have
two large yellow spots ; scutellum and postscutellum each with a yellow
band, but that on scutellum may be interrupted ; metathorax with a pair of
fusiform yellow marks (a little stained with red), converging below 7 ; area of
metathorax triangular, black, finely irregularly plicatulate all over ; mesopleura
simple ; tegulse clear yellow ; wings hyaline, dusky in marginal cell and at
apex ; stigma light rufous ; second cubital cell very broad, receiving recurrent
nervure before the middle ; legs light reddish -testaceous, anterior ones
blackened at base, and their femora darkened above ; petiole much longer
than broad, pale dull reddish, black at base ; second tergite light yellow,
suffused with red ; third black, narrowly obscure red apically, and broadly
so at sides ; fourth dull pale yellow, black at base ; fifth brown or pale
yellowish ; apical plate broad, very dark reddish or partly yellowish.
Two females, Darra, Brisbane, Dec. 14, 1915 (//. Hacker). An insignificant
looking but distinct species, resembling G. venusta, but the structure of the
clypeus is different.
Cereeris goodwini n. sp.
Female. Length about 8-3 mm. ; black, with thin white hair, conspicuous
at sides of metathorax and on cheeks, long on sides of petiole and basal part
3li MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
of second tergite ; head large and broad ; face light yellow except the supra-
clypeal area and a narrow band part-way down each side of clypeus ; a short
elevated yellow keel between the antennae ; lateral marks ending very broadly
at about level of antennae ; small yellow spots behind upper part of eyes ;
lower margin of clypeus black, with lateral tubercles, and overhung by a black-
edged very broadly and shallowly emarginate lamina, having at each side a
rounded shining black tubercle (the whole structure similar in principle to that
in C. brisbanensis) ; scape curved, black, with a subapical reddish spot in
front ; flagellum dark above, but apex above, and whole under side, bright
ferruginous : thorax black, closely punctured (less so on scutellum) ; prothorax
with a small crescentic yellow mark on each side above, but no other yellow
markings on thorax ; area of metathorax somewhat shining, with a median
sulcus, which is finely cross-ribbed, and the surface of the area finely plicatulate
and showing some punctures ; mesopleura simple ; tegulse chrome yellow, with
a basal reddish spot : wings greyish hyaline, dusky in marginal cell and beyond;
stigma reddish black ; second cubital cell very broad, receiving recurrent
nervure a little before middle ; legs basally black, but knees and tibiae bright
ferruginous ; anterior and middle tarsi pale reddish, hind tarsi red, the small
joints partly infuseated ; petiole black, rugose, longer than broad, its hind
margin narrowly red ; second tergite black in middle, red at sides, with two
large triangular yellow spots basally ; third black ; fourth black- with a broad
apical yellow band ; fifth dusky red, with base black, and a narrow imperfect
apical yellow band ; apex dark, the broad pygidial plate reddish.
Stanthorpe, Queensland, July 31, 1924 (F. A. Perkins). Named after
Sir John Goodwin. Governor of Queensland, an excellent naturalist, in recognition
of his interest in the work of the entomologists. It is allied to the last species,
but quite distinct. Also at Stanthorpe, Feb. 1, 1926, was taken a female
C. minuscula Turner. The tegulse in both sexes are very bright ferruginous.
NEW AUSTRALIAN BEES.
37
NEW AUSTRALIAN BEES.
By T. D. A. Cockerell.
Parasphecodes zamelanus sp. n.
Male. Length about 11 nun., anterior wing 8-3: entirely black , including
antennae and legs, except for the usual yellow clypeus, with the sides above
black, the black areas uniting above, the upward extension of yellow ending in
a sharp point ; body throughout with thin but quite long and conspicuous dull
white hair, stained with blackish on head and thorax above ; clypeus
prominent, with a median groove; sides of face with conspicuous white hair;
front dull, but a shining crescent in front of middle ocellus ; mesothorax dull,
somewhat shining in middle, very finely punctured ; scutellum bigibbous, the
elevations distinctly shining ; area of metathorax moderately shining with well-
defined straight plicae : tegulae black with an obscure reddish spot ; wings
greyish hyaline, the outer margin darker ; nervines dark fuscous ; stigma light
brown with dark border ; second cubital cell very broad, receiving first
recurrent nervure near end ; legs with white hair ; spurs pale ; abdomen
shining, finely punctured, no depression between first and second tergites ;
second sternite with a median elevation, not amounting to a spine.
Two from Dunalley, Tasmania, Dec. 26, 1917 (G. H. Hardy) ; Queensland
Museum. Near to P. cervicalis Ckll., but larger and with different venation.
Parasphecodes rufocollaris sp. n.
Female. Length about 7-5 mm., anterior wing 6-3 ; head and thorax
black, with very little hair ; prothorax, tubercles, and tegulse bright ferruginous ;
surface of body dullish, with a sericeous lustre ; mandibles dull red with black
base ; antennae black ; area of raeta thorax very large and long, without evident
sculpture, the median triangular area completely dull, the broad marginal area
somewhat shining ; under the microscope the area shows an excessively minute
reticulation ; sides of metathorax with fine white tomentum, as if mildewed ;
wings long, reddish, stigma (very large) and nervureS dark rufo-fuscous ; second
cubital cell higher than broad ; first recurrent nervure meeting intercubitus ;
legs clear bright ferruginous, the tarsi with pale golden hair : abdomen rather
narrow, cuneate basally, dark brownish red, stained with blackish, the third
tergilo very dark, and beyond that practically black ; no hair bands or patches ;
first two tergites with a little elevation on each side ; third sternite with pale
hair, but on the next two it is black.
National Park, Queensland, Dec. 1921 (H. Hacker ) ; Queensland Museum.
Allied to P. bribiensis Ckll., but easily known by the peculiar colouration. Mr.
Hacker had recognised it as a new species.
3S MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Paraspheeodes anhybodinus sp. n.
Male. Length about 10 mm., anterior wing 8 ; head and thorax black,
including mandibles and the very long antennae ; clypeus dull honey yellow,
polished, the sides above black, middle depressed ; hair of head and thorax
thin, dull white, a little fuscous on vertex and scutellum ; sides of face with
rather dense white hair ; mesothorax dull, finely and closely punctured, but the
punctures clearly visible under a lens ; scutellum bigibbous, the elevations
shining, the distinct punctures well separated ; area of metathorax large,
dullish, with strong straight well-spaced plicae at sides, but in middle with finely
rugolose confused sculpture, hind margin obtuse, interrupted in middle ; teguke
dark rufous ; wings hyaline, with a dusty apical spot ; stigma and nervures
dilute sepia ; second cubital cell very broad, receiving recurrent nervure very
near its end ; abdomen with first three segments dark chestnut red, the first
suffused with blackish basally, and with white hair, the third suffusedly blackish ;
fourth tergite and beyond black ; no hair bands or patches ; a deep cleft
between first and second sternites, the second somewhat elevated basally ;
claspets with greatly swollen shining base.
Cheltenham, Victoria, April 13, 1918 ( F. E. Wilson ) ; Queensland
Museum. Allied to P. hybodinus Ckll., but elevation of second sternite much
less pronounced, and red of abdomen much darker. They agree in the shining
snow-white hair on inner side of hind tarsi. The stigma of P. hybodinus is
redder, and the wings are not so long. P. hybodinus has the malar space
shorter, and the clypeal pale area clear light yellow.
Paraspheeodes notescens sp. n.
Male (type). Length about 9 mm. ; head and thorax black, with the
clypeus (except a large black mark on each side above) pale yellow, labrum
and mandibles reddish, tubercles clear red, teguke pale rufo-fulvous ; antennae
very long, reaching base of abdomen, flagellum bright ferruginous beneath ;
face strongly narrowed below ; hair of face, front, and thorax above pale
fulvous, on cheeks and under side of thorax it is dull white ; mesothorax and
scutellum dull, minutely and densely punctured, hairy, but not sufficiently to
hide the surface ; area of metathorax large, dull, without a shining rim, with
rather indistinct radiat ing plies ; mesopleura dull, hairy ; wings hyaline with
an apical dusky spot ; stigma and nervures dusky reddish ; second cubital cell
higher than broad, first recurrent nervine meeting intercubitus ; legs bright
ferruginous, with the coxae, trochanters, femora at base and more extensively
beneath, black ; abdomen shining chestnut red, a moderate depression between
first and second tergites, no basal black spot, tergites beyond the third more
or less stained with blackish ; second ventral segment not modified.
Female. Length about 9 mm. ; head and thorax black, tubercles reddened
apicalJy, tegulse rufo-fulvous ; head and thorax above with fulvous hair, dense
on postscutellum ; area of metathorax semilunar, with fine dense plicae, and a
narrow shining rim ; first recurrent nervure reaching second cubital cell a little
NEW AUSTRALIAN BEES.
39
before end ; femora black with apex broadly rufous ; anterior and middle
tibiae dusky red, hind tibiae black ; anterior and middle tarsi reddish, hind pair
black, with an orange brush at end of basitarsi ; abdomen broad, minutely
punctured, tergites dark red, with no black basal mark, extreme apex blackish ;
small cuneiform patches of white hair at lateral bases of second and third
tergites ; venter with white hair.
Beaconsfield, Victoria, Jan. 1, 1918 (F. E. Wilson, 510, 631) ; Queensland
Museum. Closely related to P. fultoni Ckll., the male easily distinguished by
the flagellum red beneath (all black in P. fultoni, and also in P. rufulus Friese),
and the female by the red front and middle tibiae.
Parasphecad.es subfultoni sp. n.
Female. So like P. fultoni Ckll. that I hesitated to separate it, but it is
definitely distinct from the type of that species as follows : — Teguke rufous (not
the clear rufo-fulvous of P. fultoni) ; wings blackish, unusually dark, with darker
stigma and very dark nervures ; area of metathorax large, with no crescentic
margin, the surface covered with strongly wrinkled rugae ; middle, tibiae red at
base (as also are the anterior ones) : abdomen very dark red, the same colour
throughout, the margins of the third and fourth tergites coloured like the rest.
The venter has much white hair.
Victoria, 1923 ( E . 1 Vilson) ; Queensland Museum.
Paraspheeodes submoratus sp. n.
Female. Length about 7-6 mm. ; head and thorax black, with thin
white hair, becoming pale brown dorsally and even black on vertex ; clypeus
and tubercles entirely black ; antennae black ; clypeus moderately shining, with
scattered punctures, no median groove ; front dull, somewhat shining at sides ;
mesothorax slightly shining, excessively finely punctured, median groove distinct ;
cheeks and pleura with conspicuous long white hair ; scutellum bigibbous, the
elevations shining ; area of metathorax large, the basal part finely plicate,
no distinct shining rim ; under the microscope the area shows a very delicate
cross- 1 ineolation ; posterior truncation very small ; tegulse rufescent, very dark ;
wings dilute brown, stigma reddish brown, nervures dark fuscous ; second
cubital cell broad, first recurrent nervure meeting the intercubitus ; legs black ;
abdomen chestnut red, the apical tergite blackened ; hind margins of segments
testaceous ; no hair-patches ; venter with white hair.
Russell Falls, National Park, Tasmania, Jan. 10, 1925 (A. J. Turner) ;
Queensland Museum. In my manuscript table it runs to P. lichatus Sm., but it is
evidently distinct. P. lichatus is a much larger insect.
Paraspheeodes submeracus sp. n.
Female. Length a little over 9 mm, ; head and thorax dull black,
robust, with rather abundant erect white hair (entirely white dorsally) ; mandibles
very faintly reddish subapically ; clypeus and tubercles entirely black ; head
40
MEMOIRS OF TIIE QUE,EN SLANT) MUSEUM.
broad ; clypeus shining, with widely scattered punctures, no median sulcus ;
flagellum with a very faint reddish tinge beneath ; mesothorax entirely dull,
the punctures so tine as to be hardly visible under a lens, but the microscope
shows excessively dense small punctures ; middle of postscutellum with dense
pale tomentum ; area of metathorax large, poorly defined, almost without
distinct sculpture, but the microscope shows fine plicae at the base ; there is no
shining rim ; tegulae very dark brown, almost black ; wings greyish hyaline, with no
evident apical cloud ; stigma and nervines dull rufous ; basal nervure very
strongly bent, and ending a long distance from nervulus ; second cubital cell
higher than broad ; first recurrent nervure meeting intercubitus, or going to
apical corner of second cubital cell ; legs black, with thick pale hair, spurs
ferruginous ; abdomen very broad, dull dark red, finely punctured, black beyond
the third tergite ; no hair -patches ; venter with white hair ; second sternite
simple. Orange pollen (round grains, without spicules) has been collected on
the hind femora and tibiae, and the base of the abdomen beneath.
Stanthorpe, Queensland, Nov. 3, 1922 (F. A. Perkins) ; Queensland
Museum. Also runs to P. lichatus in my table, and suggestive of P.
Mrtiventris Ckll., but quite distinct. The peculiar basal nervure is a good
recognition mark.
Parasphecodes bribiensiformis sp. n.
Female. Like P. bribiensis Ckll., but area of metathorax much larger,
subtriangular, with coarse though irregular plicae ; first abdominal tergite
considerably broader, being much broader than long ; base of second tergite
pellucid whitish except at extreme sides ; tegulae piceous with a red spot (fulvo-
testaceous in P. bribiensis) ; hair of scutellum very pale fulvous.
Bribie Island, Queensland, Aug. 29, 1920 ( Hacker ) ; Queensland Museum.
I hesitated whether to call this a variety of P. bribiensis, or a distinct species ;
but the area of metathorax is so different that it must apparently be separated.
The species of this group, with brown abdomen, and bosses on the first
two tergites, are neither true Parasphecodes nor true Halictus. They may form
a subgenus Aphalictus subg. n., probably to be treated as a genus when
structural studies of both sexes can be made. The type of the subgenus is
P. bribiensis Ckll.
Halictus moreensis sp. n.
Female. Length about 8 mm. ; robust, black, with very broad abdomen
(its width over 3 mm.) ; tibiae and tarsi entirely clear bright ferruginous ; legs
otherwise reddish brown, with the femora clear red apically ; head broad ;
mandibles rufous in middle ; scape black, flagellum ferruginous beneath ;
clypeus shining, punctate, convex, with no median sulcus ; hair of head grey,
rather abundant ; front minutely striate ; mesothorax and scutellum with short,
rather dense, pale-fulvous hair ; postscutellum with paler tomentum, very dense
in middle ; mesothorax dullish, scutellum shining, not bigibbous ; area of
metathorax semilunar, not at all pointed behind, and with no shining rim, the
NEW AUSTRALIAN BEES.
41
surface densely sculptured all over, finely reticulate ; posterior truncation
sharply margined at sides ; upper margin of prothorax at sides, and margin of
tubercles, densely pale-tomentose ; tegulse ferruginous ; wings hyaline, slightly
dusky, stigma and nervines light ferruginous ; second cubital cell very broad ;
first recurrent nervure meeting intercubitus ; outer recurrent and intercubitus
weakened ; hind spur simple ; abdomen shining, with erect pale hair at base
and sides ; basal pale ochreous-tinted hair-bands on segments 2 to 4, broad
at sides, contracted or interrupted in middle ; extreme apex with red hair.
Moree, N.S.W., March 1923 {A. P. Dodd) ; Queensland Museum. Related
to H. conspicuus Smith (of which H. albogutlatus Friese appears from the
description to be a synonym), but with bands instead of spots on the abdomen.
Halictus picticornis sp. n.
Male (type). Length about 4-5 mm., anterior wing 3.5 ; black, the
clypeus with a broad yellow band (its upper margin rounded) ; mandibles
ferruginous ; flagellum bright ferruginous beneath, with the last three joints
black ; tubercles clear ferruginous, this colour extending some distance along
the margin of the prothorax ; teguke bright ferruginous ; knees red, and
basitarsi pale dull reddish ; abdomen somewhat brownish, first tergite with a
broad bright ferruginous margin, second less conspicuously reddened apically ;
pubescence scanty and pale, the abdomen with thin hair, but no bands or
patches. Face narrow, eyes converging below : clypeus strongly produced ;
antennae of moderate length ; front and mesothorax very densely punctured,
the 'mesothorax slightly shining; postscutellum with a dense tuft of hair;
area of metathorax minutely rugulose all over, with no shining margin ; wings
greyish hyaline, stigma rather small, dark reddish ; nervures very dark, the
outer ones strong ; second cubital cell narrowed above, ungulate where it
receives the recurrent nervure some distance from end ; abdomen shining,
second tergite with a basal depression.
Female. Length about fro mm. ; black, with mandibles reddened
apically ; flagellum clear bright ferruginous beneath, except at base ; thorax
entirely black ; mesothorax evidently shining, with well -separated punctures on
a minutely sculptured (not polished) surface ; area of metathorax semilunar,
densely covered with irregular vermiform rugae, with no shining rim ; legs
obscure brownish ; anterior knees red, hind spur with four or five very short
oblique teeth, and one large obtuse one ; nervures rather paler, and outer ones
weaker, than, in male ; abdomen shining black, hind margins of tergites
obscurely brownish ; no bands or patches, but a thin covering of pale hair
giving a pruinose effect.
Caloundra, 1916 (H. Hacker ) ; Queensland Museum. The male Jan. 20,
the female Jan. 2. The male will be easily recognised by the peculiar antennae.
The female is very near H. plebeius Ckll., but smaller, with yellowish and
fuscous hair on hind legs. It is also allied to H. globosus Smith.
42
MEMOIRS OR THE QUEEN SLANV MUSEUM.
Halictus excusus sp. n.
Male. Length about 7-5 mm. ; slender, black, with a large triangular
cream-coloured mark on clypeus (but labrum and mandibles black) ; antennae
very long, flagellum moniliform, entirely black ; tubercles black ; tegulae dark,
with a red spot ; legs black, the tarsi with dense white hair on inner side ;
abdomen black, densely and rather coarsely punctured, extreme bases of third
and fourth tergites red, only visible when much extended. Head rather broad ;
face covered with white hair ; hair of thorax above dilute brownish ; meso-
thorax entirely dull, it and the scutellum excessively densely punctured ; area
of metathorax semilunar, dull, rugulose, with dense vermiform rugae, and no
shining rim ; wings hyaline, faintly dusky along outer margin ; stigma dull
reddish, with darker margin ; nervures fuscous ; second cubital cell broad,
receiving recurrent nervure just before end ; abdomen moderately shining,
without hair bands or spots ; conspicuous erect pale hair on first tergite ;
venter with bands of white hair.
Pyengana, Tasmania, Dec. 31, 1915 (F. M. Littler). Runs in my table
to H. lanariellus Ckll., but is separated at once by the entirely dull mesothorax.
Halictus viridarii sp. n.
Male. Length about 7 mm. ; black, rather stout, with a broad trans-
verse pale-yellow band on clypeus ; labrum black ; mandibles faintly reddened
apically ; antennae long, reaching postscutellum, entirely dark ; tubercles black ;
tegulse rufous ; legs black, with thin white hair ; abdomen black, closely
punctured, hind margins of tergites faintly brownish. Head broad ; face covered
with white hair ; hair of scutellum and postscutellum white ; mesothorax dull,
very densely punctured ; scutellum moderately shining ; area of metathorax
large, shining apically, covered with fine plicae, delicate and confused in middle,
distinct and straight at sides ; wings hyaline, stigma dilute brown ; nervures
pale brown, becoming colourless apically ; second cubital cell large, but higher
than wide, first recurrent nervure meeting intercubitus ; abdomen rather broad,
thinly hairy, with distinct patches of greyish hair at lateral bases of second
and third tergites ; apex with a dark shining rounded plate ; fringes of ventral
segments extremely short and scanty.
National Park, Queensland, Dec. 1919 (H . Hacker) ; Queensland Museum.
Resembles II. excusus, but area of metathorax and abdomen quite different.
It may also be compared with II. granulithorax Ckll., II. pulvitectus Ckll., and
H. baudini Ckll., but is quite distinct.
Halictus subplebeius sp. n.
Male. Length about 6-8 mm., anterior wing 5-8 ; black, rather robust,
the abdomen broad for a male ' elypeus with a broad creamy white band,
having a slight median extension above ; labrum black ; mandibles dark red
subapically ; antennas long, entirely black ; face broad ; clypeus short, shining,
NEW AUSTRALIAN BUMS.
43
with scattered punctures ; supraclypeal area large, convex, shining but not
polished ; hair of head and thorax scanty, dull white, face with little hair ;
mesothorax shining, with scattered punctures ; scutellum shining, with only the
faintest median depression ; area of metathorax large, semilunar, concave, the
margin somewhat shining, the surface very delicately sculptured with fine
plicae, irregular and more or less joined by minute cross-lines, and failing some
distance before the apex, the region beyond the plicae granular ; posterior
truncation dullish ; tegulse practically black, with an obscured red spot ; wings
dusky, stigma dark reddish brown, nervures fuscous ; second cubital cell broad,
receiving recurrent nervure at apical corner ; third cubital broader above than
second ; legs black, with the tarsi obscure reddish brown ; abdomen polished,
shining, pure black, without hair bands or spots.
Two males : National Park, Queensland, Dec. 1919 ( H . Hacker) ; Queens-
land Museum. Resembles //. plebeius Ckll. , but much larger, with dark tegulaa
and different metathorax.
Halictus exceptus sp. n.
Female. Length about. 7 mm. ; robust, black, including antennaj ;
mandibles obscurely reddened apically ; pubescence very scanty and short ;
head broad, inner orbits arched : olypeus shining, with scattered punctures, not
at all silicate in middle ; supraclypeal area dullish ; mesothorax shining, with
well Separated strong punctures (dense at sides), the intervals minutely striate ;
scutellum moderately shining, the median depression very weak ; mesopleura
transversely striate ; area of metathorax large, semilunar, dullish, with very
delicate plicae, the margin not distinctly shining ; the plicae fail a considerable
distance before the margin ; tegulse rather dark rufous ; wings rather strongly
reddened ; stigma large, dusky rufous, nervures fuscous ; second cubital cell
very broad, receiving recurrent nervure near end ; outer recurrent and inter-
cubitus much weakened ; legs obscure brownish, the tarsi rather pale reddish
brown; abdomen shining black, with very little hair, but small white hair-
patches at lateral bases of second and third tergites, and, when the fourth
tergite is extended, an entire white band (dense at sides, thin and weak in
middle) is seen at base ; hair of venter straight and comparatively short.
Three females: Tooloom, N.S.W., Jan. 1926 (II. Hacker). Allied to
II. seminitens Ckll., but readily distingushed by the tarsi.
Halictus micridoneus sp. n.
Male. Length about 4-5 mm. ; shining black, with rather short abdomen,
bead large and rather broad ; pubescence pale and very scanty, the face and
•clypeus with thin erect white hair ; antennae short, like those of a female ;
tegument of clypeus black, the extreme edge hardly noticeably pallid ; labrum
rufous ; mandibles black, with a broad light-yellow band ; Supraclypeal area
shining ; front very densely punctured ; at each side of the ocelli is a shining
area with sparser pmretures ; mesothorax shining, but strongly punctured ;
44 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
scutellum polished ; area of metathorax dull, subreticulate, with coarse rugae,
110 shining margin ; tegulae rufous ; wings hyaline, the pale stigma dark-
margined ; second cubital cell very broad ; first recurrent nervure joining third
cubital cell, some distance from base ; legs with white hair, knees red, and
tarsi pale red ; abdomen shining, a strong sulcus between first and second
tergites ; hind margins of tergites somewhat pallid ; no hair bands or spots.
Brisbane, Nov. 19, 1913 (H. Hacker). Runs hear II. idoneus Ckll. , but
that is much larger. It is much like II. cyclognathus Ckll., but the face is
much narrower, &c. The general aspect suggests H. forticornis Ckll., but the
antennae are quite different. The venation is peculiar.
Halictus euryurus sp. n.
Male. Length nearly (5 mm., anterior wing about 5 ; black, the abdomen
broad-oval, the hind margins of the tergites beyond the first stramineous ; face
broad, tegument of clypeus entirely black, mandibles obscurely reddish apically ;
hair of head and thorax rather abundant, long, white, long but thin on front
of head ; antennae of moderate length, black, the flagellum very obscurely
brownish beneath : clypeus flattened, shining, depressed in the middle at lower
end ; supraclypeal area very sparsely punctured ; front densely punctured ;
mesothorax and scutellum strongly punctured, only moderately shining ; area
of metathorax with sharp straight plica', only two or three in middle wrinkled,
margin shining ; posterior truncation dull ; tegulae dark rufous ; wings clear
hyaline, iridescent, stigma pale reddish, nervures pale, second cubital cell
broadened below, receiving first recurrent nervure some distance from its end;
outer recurrent and intercubitus much weakened ; legs black, small joints of
tarsi rufescent, hind tibiae robust ; abdomen moderately shining, finely punctured.
Adaminaby, N.S-W., Oct. 19, 1918 (A. J. Turner)-, Queensland Museum.
Somewhat allied to II . macrops Ckll. and II. bursarice Ckll. The metathorax and
antennae separate it at once from II. macrops. The mesothorax is much more
coarsely punctured than in II. clariventris Friese.
Halictus sculp turatus sp. n.
Male. Length about 6-5 mm. ; black, moderately robust, the abdomen
without hair bands or patches ; face rather broad, with thin white hair ;
clypeus with a transverse cream-coloured band : labrum reddish ; mandibles
reddened subapieally ; antennae rather long, flagellum moniliform, obscurely
brownish beneath ; front very densely punctured ; hair of thorax scanty, white ;
long, erect, and pure white on postscutellum ; mesothorax shining, strongly
punctured, median groove strong, and on each side of it anteriorly oblique
striae ; area of metathorax semilunar, not pointed behind, appearing to have no
shining rim. but seen from behind a small shining edge is visible ; surface of
area strongly sculptured all over, the plicae wrinkled and irregular in middle,
straight and distinct at sides ; tegulae dark rufous ; wings brownish hyaline,
iridescent, stigma dark reddish brown ; nervures fuscous, second cubital cell
NEIV AUSTRALIAN BEES.
45
rather narrow, first recurrent meeting intercubitus ; legs black, the last joint
bright red at apex, the claws tipped with black ; abdomen shining, finely
punctured ; ventral segments with bands of white hair.
Stradbroke Island, Sept. 17, 1915 (H. Hacker). Allied ‘to H. spenceri
Ckll., but mesothorax and area of metathorax quite different.
Halictus evasus sp. n.
Female. Length 7 mm. ; black, head and thorax with rather long white
hair, quite dense on cheeks and postscutellum ; mandibles black; face* broad
clypeus shining, punctured, not sulcate in middle; supraclypeal ’area shining’
sparsely punctured, the punctures smaller than on clypeus ; upper margin of
clypeus microscopically transversely lineolate ; front dull, densely punctured;
antennae entirely dark ; mesothorax dull, very coarsely punctured ; scutellum
polished, with very fine punctures ; area of metathorax concave, shining, with
fine regular plicae all over, the hind margin swollen and • obtuse, slightly
interrupted in middle, hardly shining; mesopleura transversely striate; tegulae
very dark, almost black ; wings hyaline, faintly brownish ; stigma and nervines
dull brown ; second cubital cell broad, receiving recurrent nervine at its apical
corner ; outer recurrent and intercubitus very weak ; legs black, very hairy ;
hind spur with a large rounded lamella near base; abdomen broad, shinino-i
thinly hairy, with distinct but well -separated punctures, hind margins of
tergites not discoloured; second and third tcrgites basally at sides with
cuneiform patches of white hair ; hair of v enter long and abundant.
Coolangatta, Queensland, Sept. 6, 1913 (A. J. Turner) ; Queensland Museum.
Very close to H. confusdlus Ckll., but easily separated by the more robust, dull,
coarsely sculptured mesothorax, and the shining area of metathorax.
Halictus limatiformis var. scrupulosus var. n.
Female. First abdominal segment, and sometimes much of base of
second, clear red.
Nanango district, Queensland, Nov. 1927 (IT. Hacker). I thought at first
that this was a new species allied to H. tatei Ckll., but it is certainly only a
variety of H. limatiformis, the normal form of which occurs in the same
district.
Halictus suburbanus sp. n.
Female. Length hardly o mm, not very robust ; head broad, dull dark
green ; mandibles dark reddish apically ; flagellum dull reddish beneath •
clypeus black, with the upper margin broadly green, and a purple suffusion
below the green; supraclypeal area finely tessellated and sparsely punctured
the lower part purplish ; front minutely punctato-striate ; hair of head and
thorax scanty and white; mesothorax and scutellum dull emerald green, the
scutellum a little more shining, but not at all polished ; surface of mesothorax very
finely and densely sculptured all over ; area of metathorax with strong straight
plicae, but sculptured between, posterior rim shining when seen from behind ;
4G
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
tegulse rather small, shining rufous ; wings greyish hyaline, stigma darn brown ;
second cubital cell broad below, narrower above, receiving first recurrent nervure
near its end ; third cubital very short, outer recurrent and intercubitus much
weakened ; femora black with knees red ; tibiae and tarsi red, the colour rather
dull ; abdomen not specially broad, shining black, pruinose-pubescent with the
hind margins of the tergites somewhat discoloured or brownish.
National Park, Queensland, 3.000 ft., March 1, 1921 (A. J. Turner );
Queensland Museum. Very close to H. urbanus Smith, but the mesothorax is
larger and duller. Also close to H. williamsi Cklb, but mesothorax more shining,
and bluer green, and scutellum shining. These bees could be regarded as local
races of //. urbanus, unless the males show structural differences. The original
H. urbanus came from Champion Bay, W. Australia.
Halictus dorsicyaneus sp. n.
Female. Length about 5 mm., not very robust, abdomen not broadened ;
head black ; mesothorax small, dark blue, shining but not polished ; scutellum
blue, with two polished shining spaces ; metathorax black ; area large, finely
sculptured, semicircular, without a shining rim ; flagellum obscurely rufescent
beneath ; hair of head and thorax scanty, white ; tegulse small, dark rufous ;
wings clear hyaline ; stigma large, pale brownish, nervines pale, outer ones
very weak ; second cubital cell rather broad, receiving recurrent nervure before
its end ; legs black, knees and small joints of tarsi red ; abdomen shining
black, with little hair, the apical part thinly pubescent. The mesothorax is
microscopically tessellate, with scattered punctures ; the area of metathorax,
seen under the microscope, is coarsely reticulate.
Launceston, Tasmania, Jan. 23, 1916 (F. M. Littler). In my table it
runs to H. kesteveni Ckll., which differs at once by blue metathorax. Compared
with H. inclinans Smith, it is less robust, with darker tegulse and different
abdomen.
Halictus luctificus sp. n.
Female. Length about 5-4 mm., rather robust head black, mesothorax
dull very dark green, scutellum dark blue, with two polished areas ; area of
metathorax large, crescentic, dull and coarsely sculptured (minutely reticulate,
appearing coarsely so under microscope), with a very conspicuous regularly
curved shining margin ; metathorax black ; hair of head and thorax very
scanty : tegulse dark rufous ; wings clear hyaline, with pale testaceous stigma
and pale nervures, the outer recurrent and intercubitus very weak ; first
recurrent nervure joining basal corner of third cubital cell, the outer and lower
boundaries of which are reduced to thin hyaline lines, hardly visible even
under the microscope ; legs with knees and small joints of tarsi red ; abdomen
broad, shining black, thinly pubescent in the apical region. The supraclypeal
area is polished, with scattered punctures, and the punctures on clypeus are
very large.
NEW A USTEALIAN BEES.
47
Launceston, Tasmania, Jan. 23, 1916 (F. M. TAttler). Allied closely to
the last, and also to H. mundulus Ckll., from which it is distinguished by the
shining margin of metathoracic area. At the same time and place, Mr. Littler
took a couple of H. subinclinans Ckll.
Paracolletes cyaneorufus sp. n.
Female. Length about 7-5 mm. ; robust, head and thorax black, abdomen
dusky chestnut red, with a delicate purple suffusion ; pubescence very scanty,
pure white on cheeks and under part of thorax, white also on upper part of
head, but on thorax above brown, though hardly noticeable; mandibles long,
bldentate, wholly dark ; face very broad, clypeus and supraclypeal area highly
polished, the clypeus with widely scattered large punctures ; front dull in
middle, striate, shining and punctate at sides ; antennse black, the flagellum very
obscurely reddish beneath apically ; meso thorax dull ; scutellum polished ; area
of metathorax triangular, with a transverse ridge ; sides of thorax dull, with a
brilliant shining space below wings ; tegula? rufous ; wings brownish hyaline ;
stigma ferruginous, with dark margin ; marginal cell obliquely truncate at end ;
basal nervure almost reaching the very oblique nervulus ; second cubital cell
rather small, triangular, with a very small face on marginal cell ; the first
recurrent nervure joining second cubital very near its end ; upper apical corner
of third discoidal a right angle ; legs brownish black, anterior knees rufescent ;
scopa of hind tibiae pallid ; abdomen shining, without hair bands or spots, apex
with a fringe of brown hair.
Bribie Island, Aug. 29, 1920 ( //. Hacker ) ; Queensland Museum. Close to
P. rufoceneus Friese, but considerably smaller. The genus Euryglossidia is
related to Paracolletes of this group, and not to Eut'yglossa.
Paracolletes melanurus sp. n,
Female. Length about 6-8 mm. ; black, the abdomen a faintly reddish
black, and the hind tibise and tarsi obscurely brownish ; hair of head and
thorax extremely scanty, fuscous on scutellum ; antennae short, black, the
apical part of flagellum very obscurely reddish beneath ; mandibles long, with
inner tooth remote from the reddish apex ; face very broad, the clypeus,
supraclypeal area, and a space at each side of antennae shining ; clypeus with
scattered strong punctures ; front dull ; mesothorax dull, scutellum moderately
shining ; area of metathorax polished, without sculpture ; tegulis brown ;
wings reddish hyaline ; stigma large, solid dark reddish ; nervures fuscous ;
basal nervure meeting nervulus ; marginal cell very long, with narrow end :
second cubital cell small, narrowed above, receiving recurrent nervure a little
beyond middle ; first cubital longer than the other two together ; scopa of
hind tibiae brown ; abdomen shining, practically hairless above, but with very
dark brown hair at apex ; venter with erect pale (slightly ochreous) hair.
Tooloom, N.S.W., Jan. 1926 (//. Hacker) ; Queensland Museum. Rather
like P. nitidulus Ckll. in appearance, but venation quite different. The venation,
except for the more produced marginal cell, is much in the style of P.
incanescens Ckll.
48
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Paracolletes semiviridis sp. n.
Male. Length about 8-3 mm. ; head and thorax black, with much
outstanding white hair, pale ochreous on thorax above ; hair of face very
dense, long, silky, and pure white ; mandibles rufescent apically ; antennae only
moderately long, the flagellum chestnut red beneath except basally ; front
and vertex dull ; mesothorax and scutellum dull ; base of metathorax shining ;
tegulse brown : wings strongly brownish, with dark stigma (which is well
developed) and nervines ; basal nervure falling conspicuously short of nervulus ;
second cubital cell receiving recurrent nervure slightly beyond middle, practically
at middle ; third cubital very long, receiving second recurrent a considerable
distance before end ; femora black, with knees red ; tibiae and tarsi bright
chestnut red ; abdomen dull olive green, closely and finely punctured, hind
margins of tergites very pale testaceous, and thinly beset with short white
hair, only noticeable in certain lights ; apex with white hair ; venter with bands
of pure white hair.
Charleville, Queensland. Sept. 12. 1920 (A.J. Turner ); Queensland Museum.
This may be compared with P. castaneipes Ckll., wilich is much larger, with
black hair on thorax above.
Paracolletes nomiseformis sp. n.
Male. Length about 8 mm. ; black, with the hind margins of the
closely punctured abdomen broadly testaceous, with a little red just above ;
head and thorax densely hairy, the hair long and shaggy, white on cheeks
and lower part of mesopleura, dull white on face and front, very pale greyish,
with a yellowish tinge, on thorax above and on vertex ; mandibles with a
bright red subapical band ; tegument of clypeus all black ; flagellum very short,
bright ferruginous beneath except at base ; a polished shining area at each
side of vertex ; mesothorax shining, finely punctured ; scutellum polished ; base
of metathorax rugulose, with a fine transverse keel, the marginal sutures
heavily ridged laterally; tegulse dark reddish, closely punctured; wings greyish
hyaline, the apex suffusedly darker ; stigma well developed but narrow, dark
rufous ; basal nervure falling conspicuously short of nervulus ; marginal cell
rather short, obliquely truncate ; second cubital cell very small, receiving
recurrent nervure near middle ; third cubital very long, receiving second
recurrent far from end ; legs dark brown, with white hair ; abdomen loosely
hairy all over, but without hair-bands.
Three males : Charleville, Queensland, Sept. 11, 1920 (A. J. Turner) ;
Queensland Museum. Very near P. sigillatus Ckll., but smaller, face much
narrower, and mesothorax much more punctured. It looks like a Nomia.
Paracolletes plumosus (Smith).
Female : Stanthorpe, Q., 6-1-26 (P. A Perkins). The base of the meta-
thorax may or may not be transversely striate in this species, as I have
understood it. Possibly more extensive collecting may show that two species
are included in P. plumosus as now understood. The genitalia of the males
should be examined.
NEW AUSTRALIAN BEES.
49
Paracolletes providus (Smith).
Females : Stanthorpe, Q., 7-10-24 and 3-10-24 (F. A. Perkins). I have
received additional specimens of P. hackeri CkH, from Mr. Hacker, and find
the distinction from P. providus difficult lo appreciate. Typically, the abdomen
of P. providus is more polished and oily -appearing, not so strongly punctured,
while P. hackeri has a tuft of dull fulvous-tinted hair in front of each tegula.
But I am no longer confident that these differences do not fall within the
range of variation of P. providus. The matter can only be settled by those
on the spot, or by the collection of good series in typical localities*
Nomia geophila sp. n.
Male. Length 8-9 mm., anterior wing 6-5 ; black, with the hind margins
of the second and follow'ing abdominal tergites hyaline ; pubescence white,
dense on face, covering the surface ; on the thorax above the hair is greyish :
tegument of clypeus wholly black ; mandibles more or less rufous beyond the
base ; flagellum very short for a male, entirely dark ; mesothorax shining,
with distinct not very close punctures ; scutcllum quite closely punctured,
depressed in middle ; metathorax shining, the striated basal area forming a
very narrow' band, obtusely angulatc behind in middle ; a depressed polished
space above hind legs ; teg ulie very dark brown, with hyaline margins ; wings
hyaline, the apical margin faintly clouded ; stigma small, dusky rufous ; nervines
dark fuscous ; second cubital cell very small, receiving recurrent nervure beyond
the middle ; legs dark brown, with dull white hair ; hind legs not modified,
but all the femora very short and small ; abdomen finely punctured, very
conspicuously on first tergite, no hair-bands ; hind trochanters with a small
apical process above ; venter not modified ; claspers long and thin, with an
expanded apex, from the inner corner of which, directed obliquely mesad, is a
finger-like process ; spatha broad basally, narrowing to the apical part, which
is rod-like, obtuse at end ; tongue slender, dagger-like, only moderately long.
Two males: “Bred earth cells, 10-11-18, Moree ” ; Queensland Museum.
Closely related to N. gilberti Ckll., but antennae a little shorter, mesothorax
shining, and postscutellum without the dense covering of pure white hair, nor
are there conspicuous white hair-patches at sides of scutellum. In N. frenchi
Ckll. the antennae are very much longer.
Nomia grisella Ckll., described from Cape York, has been found by W. C.
Dormer at Gordonvale, Feb. 24, 1923.
Exoneura tasmanica sp. n.
Male. Length 7 mm. ; head and thorax shining black ; hair of head
black, thin but long and outstanding on face, on thorax pure white beneath,
and dorsally brown, a sort of very dilute chocolate colour ; eyes black, very
large, converging below; clypeus long and narrow, cream-coloured, with dull
surface ; in the narrow space between clypeus and eye there is on each side a
cream-coloured line ; labrum w hite, with a black spot at each side, mandibles
D
DO MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
rufescent apical lv ; antennae black ; tubercles black; tegulae very dark brown,
nearly black ; wings reddish hyaline ; stigma long lanceolate, ferruginous, with
a dark margin ; recurrent nervure joining second cubital cell at extreme basal
corner ; legs basally black, with the knees, tibia*, and tarsi bright ferruginous ;
anterior and middle tibiae with no. dark markings, but hind tibiae with a broad
black band posteriorly ; abdomen rather dark red, the first two tergites black
with red margin, the third with a black discal suffusion, the fourth to sixth
with lateral black marks, large on sixth ; venter mainly clear red, but partly
dark basally.
Windermere, Tasmania, Feb. 13, 1916 (F. M. Littler). This cannot be
the male of E turneri C’kll., as that has much darker wings, and the recurrent
nervure ending far from base of second cubital cell. The face-marking, colour
of pubescence, and venation readily distinguish it from all known males.
Falseorhiza flavomellea Cockerell.
Two females : Dunk Island, Aug. 25, 1927 (F . A. Perkins .
Palseorhiza parallela recessiva Cockerell.
Female : Palm Island, May 30, 1926 (F. A. Perkins).
Hylseus chlorosoma Cockerell.
Female : Stanthorpe, Q., 10-11-23 {F. A. Perkins).
Euryglossa mutica Cockerell.
Male : Stanthorpe, Q., 10-11-23 (F. A. Perkins).
Paehyprosopis aurantipes Cockerell.
Male: Stanthorpe, Q., 10-11-23 (F . A. Perkins).
FATAL EPIDEMIC INTESTINAL DISEASE OF GOLDFISH.
51
NOTES ON A FATAL EPIDEMIC INTESTINAL
DISEASE OF GOLDFISH.
By R. Hamlyn-Harris, D.Sc., City Entomologist, Brisbane, and J. V. Duhig, M.B.,
Director, Brisbane and District Laboratory.
(Plate IT.)
The epidemic herein described occurred amongst “Comet,” “Pantail,”
and “ Calico” Goldfish in the smaller aquaria of Mr. ,1. C. Brunnich, Agri-
cultural Chemist. All developmental stages fell a prey to the disease. The
tanks were well aerated, and had been in use for a long time, but it was only
in those tanks where hard tap-water had been used to replenish the supply
that the fish contracted the disease ; whilst in the larger outdoor ponds and
tanks no infection seems to have taken place. Food consisting of white worms
(Enchytras) reared in special containers ; scraped meat and artificial foods were
given alternately. To understand the problem thoroughly, a further and more
detailed examination of the actual waters involved is imperative.
The aquarist is well aware that sudden fatal epidemics among fish are
liable to occur at any time and without apparent cause. Sometimes deaths
can be definitely traced to fungoid diseases, but more often than not the evil
is deep-seated and is due to some other cause as yet only surmised. Prom
time to time such epidemics have been noted, but in most cases death inter-
venes before any preventive measures can be adopted, and sometimes all the
inhabitants of an apparently, healthy aquarium die before the seriousness of the
outbreak can be realised.
In aquaria directly under my care, containing local fish and a few
“ tropicals,” similar experiences have been frequent, and for some years now
an opportunity has been sought of becoming better acquainted with fish diseases
so as to enable a diagnosis to be made sufficiently early, to save considerable
mortality, always so characteristic of such epidemics.
In this particular case the symptoms are quite definite, so that it should
be possible to detect the disease in the early stages of development. It is
interesting in the first place to notice that there appears to be a seasonal
appearance of such epidemics. 1 make this statement guardedly because as
yet wc have very little idea as to the cause of the seasonal occurrence, and
consequently because the disease seems to break out quite independently, in
different adjoining aquaria at the same time almost to a day, it is seen to be
very definite in its action and very deadly, the source of the Infection
remaining as much as ever a mystery.
52 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Superficially the water in the aquaria gives little indication of impending
tragedy, and it is not until the fish begin to suffer disintegration of the
abdominal contents that the abnormality becomes distinctly noticeable, the fish
resting motionless on the bottom of the tank. Now and again, as if to cast off
the discomfort occasioned thereby, a fish will make a sudden dart through the
water only to come to rest again with extreme suddenness, this action seems
to denote a final stage in the development of the disease.
It is I think recognised that it is desirable from time to time to replace
the chemicals in the water which are used up during the healthy life of the
fish, and small quantities of magnesium sulphate and sodium chloride materially
assist towards this end, whilst the addition of plaster of paris provides for a
possibility of calcium deficiency. In this instance the use of plaster of paris
arrested the disease.
The readiness with which the CaS0 4 is dissolved in “ spent” aquaria
containing an undue accumulation of carbon dioxide as the result of the
presence of putrefying substances in the water, followed by a period of rapid
oxygen consumption, suggests the necessity of such chemicals. Soon after the
calcium sulphate is added to the water, precipitation takes place and the
water, becoming wonderfully clear, provides an improved environment for the
fish themselves, which soon react to the changed conditions. As soon as an
equilibrium has been reached, the CaSOr may be removed, but by this time a
higher alkalinity has been reached. Now although our larvivorous fish will live
in slight acidity, say pH 6‘0, nevertheless it is a matter of frequent comment
that they do so only under protest, and that they seem more prone to disease
than they do in alkaline waters. The acidity of the water seems to synchronise
also with the slow but sure destruction of the snails ; Bullinus pectorosus
Conrad and Limncea lessoni Desh. do not seem to thrive in such a medium.—
R.H.H.
Pathology of the Disease.
Three fish were examined post-mortem. The pathological findings
resembled very closely those found in cholera in the human ; they were as
follow : —
There was constantly a deep bile-tinged staining under the skin of the
abdomen just ventral and caudal to the left pectoral fin. One specimen showed
necrosis of the body wall at the site of the staining, the skin being thinned,
of the texture of tissue paper, and was about to slough. There were no other
external features of interest. On opening the body, the respiratory system
I found to be, as far as I could judge, normal.
On examination of the abdominal contents, I found practically the whole
of the intestines involved in a gangrenous process, only about a centimetre of
the terminal portion escaping. The bile channels were also involved, leading to
rupture and consequent staining of the abdominal wall, as noted above. I
could not judge macroscopically whether the liver was involved. In two
specimens, the necrotic process had spread to the swim bladder, which no
FATAL EPIDEMIC INTESTINAL DISEASE OF GOLDFISH.
53 '
doubt led to the condition observed by my co-author, namely, falling to the
bottom of the tank and inability to rise to the surface of the water.
Histology of the Disease.
This may best be described in stages illustrated by the figures (Plate II.).
Intestine . — First stage : Acute inflammatory exudate in the villi and
submucosa (Figure 2, left, and Figure 3).
Second stage : Sloughing of the mucosa but epithelial cells staining well
(Figure 4).
Third stage : Sloughing with marked cellular degeneration of epithelium.
General structure of the gut is fairly well maintained (Figure 5).
Fourth stage : Necrosis amd sloughing of the whole villi, musculature
still intact (Figure 6).
Fifth stage : Complete necrosis of the whole intestinal wall. Amorphous
sloughs in the lumen (Figure 7).
Liver . — This organ showed complete necrosis, the nuclei of the cells having
completely degenerated while their cytoplasm stained very feebly with cytoplasmic
dyes. There was no evidence of primary fatty degeneration so I judge the
intoxication to have been of an overwhelming kind, similar to acute necrosis
in the human. The general texture of the viscus was unrecognisable.
Etiology.
The three fish that form the subject of the above comment were
submitted to me in formalin. Successful cultures of the intestinal flora could
not then be anticipated. Direct smears showed as the only significant feature
the presence of a subterminal spored Clostridium.
i had the opportunity of culturing the gut contents of another fish
which had died of the same disease. Direct smears showed an unusual organism
in my experience of intestinal flora, namely, a small non-motile Gram-negative
diplobacillus in almost all cases encapsuled. Very rarely what appeared to be
the same organism was single and not encapsuled. Variation in size was
considerable, from 1*25 to 4 microns averaging about 2 microns in length by
0-5 micron in width. An emulsion of gut content was plated out on McConkey’s
medium. The organism evidently fermented lactose as no pale colonies showed
up. Examination showed the diplobacillus still present, and to obtain a pure
culture a subculture was made on a plain agar plate. No growth of the germ
desired was obtained, or at least it was overgrown to such an extent that it
could not be recovered. A similar fate befell those on the first plate, and the
organism, evidently very delicate, was lost. I do not suggest this bacillus is
the cause of the disease, but an organism of the kind noted seemed to me so
unusual that I judged it wise to follow it up, and I mention it here for the-
information of workers in this field.
5-1
MEMOIR , S OF TEE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
An interesting point in the epidemiology of the disease was put to me
by Mr. Marshall, of the Queensland Museum scientific staff. He desired to know
why fish, which were transported all the wav from Japan in the same water
unchanged and therefore likely to be foul and heavily infected and survived
this apparently unfavourable medium, died, as did many recently imported fish,
when taken ashore and put in clean water of a composition assumed by
experienced aquarists to be a suitable environment. The only explanation that
I can offer is that the original tanks in which the fish -were transported
contained bacteriophage in the water, as might very easily happen. In the
event of another epidemic of this kind I propose to test this hypothesis
experimentally.
The above work is necessarily only preliminary, since the amount of
material available was very scanty, and w r as done without access to much
literature on the subject.
The Medical Research Council 1 make a small passing reference to the
fact that a cholera-like disease occurs in fish.
T. P. Hughes 2 reports an exhaustive investigation of fowl cholera, and
describes as constantly occurring a “ small pleomorphic, bipolar staining. Gram-
negative, non-motile bacillus,” which rather resembles that which I have
described in this instance. I read Hughes’s paper after I suspected this bacillus
as having some causal relationship with the disease, and now feel that more
material treated by more refined methods may enable me to solve the problem
of etiology. — J.V.D.
1 Med. Res. Council : “A System of Bacteriology,” 1929, vol. iv, p. 436.
2 Hughes, T. P. : Jl. of Exptl. Medicine, 1930, 51, 225.
MEMOIRS OF THU QUEENSLAND MUSEUM, Yol. X, Plate II.
Sections op Intestine of Diseased Goldfish.
(For description, see text, p. 21.)
Face page 54,
TEE MARSUPIALS OF QUEENSLAND.
oo
THE MARSUPIALS OF QUEENSLAND.
By Heber A. Longman, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. (Director).*
Owing to the fact that settlement in the southern parts of Australia
preceded the occupation of our northern areas, it is not surprising that the
majority of more recent additions to our fauna have come from Queensland,
the Northern Territory and islands, and the northern parts of West Australia.
In 1912 the late Charles Hedley stated in an address to the Linnean Society
of London : “ In Australia marsupials and monotremes are least developed in
the North ; proceeding southwards more groups successively appear till
ultimately Tasmania has, as Professor Spencer expressed it, a condensation of
most that is noteworthy in the Australian region.” * 1 This was a surprising
statement, even in 1912, especially in view of the rich fossil marsupial fauna of
the mainland.
In commenting on the statements made by exponents of the Antarctic
theory, I pointed out in a previous paper 2 that, with the exception of the
rare Gyrnnobelideus, there is not a genus of living marsupials that is unrepre-
sented in either the Torresian or Eyresian (Eremian) sub-regions. Although no
striking discoveries have been made since 1924, the additions recorded to our
list of marsupials strengthen my criticism. It is not necessary to traverse the
diverse views expressed as to the origin of our marsupials dealt with in another
paper. 3 Neither do I wish to lay stress on the present distribution of our
marsupials as affording definite evidence as to their northern or southern
entrance into this continent in the remote past. But if the facts of present-day
and recent distribution have any value it is obvious that the evidence yielded
is opposed to the Antarctic theory.
The marsupials of Australia comprise so many distinctive genera that it
seems quite logical to suggest that their evolution has largely taken place
within our own region. Although the palaeontological evidence is incomplete,
it is now obvious that our fossil marsupials were even more distinctively
Australian than those of to-day. Such genera as Diprotodon , Notoiherium ,
Eury zygoma, Phascolonus, Sthenurus. Palorchestes, Procoptodon, and Thylacoleo
are specialised marsupials with no known near relatives outside of the Australian
region. No serious attempt has yet been made to derive these extinct species
from any known forms in South America, even though the assumptions of the
*The substance of this paper was read before Section D (Zoology) at the Brisbane meeting of
the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, 1930.
1 1912 : C. Hedley, Pr. Linn. Soc.. London, 124th session, p. 84.
2 1924 : H. A. Longman, Rep. A.A.A.S., vol. 17, p. 362.
3 1924 : H. A. Longman, Mem. Qld. Mus. vol. viii, pp. 1-16.
5B
MEMOIRS OF TEE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Wegener hypothesis have been invoked in order to demonstrate the possibility
of transit for the two or three living marsupials in the two continents which
are considered by some authorities to be lineally related.
These remarks are prefatory to a list of species and certain subspecies
of present-day marsupials, comprising over ninety names. Much new knowledge
has been gained through the material collected for the British Museum, mainly
through Captain (now Sir Hubert) Wilkins, which was worked up by that rare
enthusiast the late Oldfield Thomas. Valuable material was also obtained by
Mr. H. C. Raven for the American Museum of Natural History, New York,
following the visit to Australia of Professor W. K. Gregory. Although excellent
work has also been done by such Australians as E. Le G. Troughton and A. S-
Le Souef, and by Professor F. Wood-Jones, we have to admit, with regret,
that our efforts have been somewhat limited in comparison. Fortunately,
however, representatives of most of this new material have been lodged in the
Queensland Museum.
The multiplicity of genera in recent years is another interesting develop-
ment. The late Allan McCulloch once expressed the opinion that there was a
danger, if some enthusiasts had their way, of a distinct genus being created
for every species. Fortunately the entomologists, whose species are legion, will
prevent this from being carried out. Some ornithologists, however, have
certainly done their best, or worst, in this direction.
In earlier years we included all the “ native cats ” in one genus, but
R. I. Pocock has recently established four genera for the four best-known
Australian species of Dasyurus (1926). 4 Time alone will prove whether
systematists generally will adopt this principle, and there is certainly much to
be said for the generic separation of D. maculatus from D. hallucatus , but this
leads naturally to the establishment of the other genera and so the splitting
goes on. Paul Matsehie, of Berlin, has also proposed new genera, and several
subgenera, including two subgenera for Dasyurus in 1 9 16, 5 antedating Pocock,
but he deals mainly with Papuan species.
The genus Macropus is now restricted by some authors to the kangaroos,
large wallabies being placed in Wallabia ami small wallabies in Thylogale, but
when recent fossil forms are also considered there are grave difficulties in
adopting this nomenclature.
It is of interest to note that during the last ten years no less than
ten new' species of Petrogale (Rock Wallabies) have been described, two by
A. S. Le Souef and eight by Oldfield Thomas. These form an interesting
parallel to the ten subspecies of Wallaroos that have been described, although
some of the Rock Wallabies seem very distinct, doubtless through lengthy
isolation. The creation of subspecies in several genera has been an outstanding
feature of the more recent work.
4 ]926: R. i: Pocock, P.Z.S., p. 1082.
5 1916: P. Matsehie, M tt. Zool. Mus., Berlin, Bd. 8, Heft 2.
THE MARSUPIALS OF QUEENSLAND.
57
Wood- Jones considers that the primitive Australian Marsupials were
polyprotodont and didactylous, and that the diprotodont group arose as a
specialisation in the syndactylous section. He therefore uses the Sub-Orders
Didactyla and Syndactyla in preference to Polyprotodontia and Diprotodontia. 6
Wood- Jones’s classification appears to reflect more correctly than the terms
in general use the phylogenetic development of our marsupials.
In view of the distinction between our phalangers and the true opossums
of America, the name possum, by which our species are most commonly known,
has been deliberately adopted in this list.
As descriptions of the older species are readily obtained in Oldfield
Thomas’s Catalogue of the Marsupialia (British Museum, 1888), only references
to recent literature are given.
LIST OF QUEENSLAND PRESENT-DAY MARSUPIALS.
Family MACROPODIML
Macropus giganteus (Zimmerman). Great Grey Kangaroo. Queensland, including
Stradbroke Island.
Macropus melanops Gould. Black-faced Kangaroo.
A. S. Le Souef (Austr. Zool. iii, 1923, p. 148) considers this as
specifically distinct from M. giganteus.
Macropus robustus Gould. Wallaroo.
Pending a revision of the Wallaroos none of the ten subspecies
recorded are listed here.
Macropus rufus (Desmarest). Red Kangaroo. Western Queensland.
Macropus rufus dissimulatus Rothschild (1905). Western Queensland.
Mr. J. Edgar Young obtained two skins of this subspecies from the
St. George district. It was described by Rothschild in Nov. Zool., xii,
p. 508.
Macropus agilis (Gould). Coast or Agile Wallaby. Eastern Queensland ; extends
as far south as Stradbroke Island.
Macropus ruficollis (Desmarest). Red-necked Wallaby. Southern Queensland;
extends as far north as the Burnett and Upper Dawson. H. H. Finlayson,
of Adelaide, who has placed on record many observations on this wallaby
(Trans. Roy. Soc. South Aus., liv, 1930, pp. 47-56, plates i-iii), collected
specimens from the Upper Dawson.
Macropus ualabatus (Lesson & Gamier). Swamp or Black-tailed Wallaby.
South-eastern Queensland.
1923: Wood-Jones, The Mammals of South Australia, part i., p. 83.
58 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Macropus ualabatus apicalis (Gunther). Type locality : Cape Grafton, North
Queensland.
Macropus ualabatus ingrami Thomas & Dollman. Type locality : Inkerman,
North Queensland. (P.Z.S. 1908, p. 788, plate xlii).
Macropus welsbyi Longman. Red Stradbroke Island Wallaby. South-east
Queensland.
This handsome wallaby was described in 1922 (Mem. Qld. Mus., vii,
p. 298). An additional specimen was obtained by H. G. Barnard in
1927.
Macropus parryi Bennett. Pretty-face or Whip-tail Wallaby.
Macropus dorsalis (Gray). Scrub or Black-striped Wallaby.
This appears to be the most common wallaby in Queensland, and in
some districts it is regarded as a pest.
Macropus coxeni (Gray). Coxen’s Wallaby. Cape York.
Macropus stigmaticus (Gould). Branded Wallaby. North-eastern Queensland.
Macropus wilcoxi (McCoy). Red-legged Wallaby. Southern Queensland.
Macropus thetidis (Lesson). Pademelon Wallaby. South-eastern Queensland.
Macropus bedfordi Thomas.
Oldfield Thomas described this wallaby (P.Z.S. , 1900, p. 112) from a
single skin, presented by the Duke of Bedford. The animal had been
brought alive “from Queensland or North Australia.” It is allied to
M. eugenii.
Petrogale xanthopus Gray. Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby. Western Queensland.
Petrogale penicillata Gray. Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby. South-eastern Queens-
land.
Petrogale assimiiis Ramsay. Allied Rock Wallaby. Type locality : Palm
Island, North-eastern Queensland.
Petrogale godmani Thomas (1923). Godman’s Rock Wallaby. Type locality:
Black Mountain, near Cooktown, North Queensland.
Petrogale purpureicoUis Le Soeuf (1924). Purple-necked Rock Wallaby. Type
locality : Dajarra, North-western Queensland. (Austr. Zool., iii, p. 274.)
Petrogale celeris Le Soeuf (1924). “Active Rock Wallaby,” Type locality:
Terachy Station, Adavale, South-western Queensland.
Petrogale inornata Gould. Plain Rock Wallaby. Northern Queensland.
According to Stokes (Discoveries in Australia, vol. i, p. 336, 1846),
the type locality is Cape Upstart, near Bowen.
Petrogale herberti Thomas (1926). Herbert’s Rock Wallaby. Type locality:
Eidsvold, Eastern Queensland.
THE MABSiPIALH OF QUEENSLAND.
59
Petrogale puella Thomas (1926). Little Rock Wallaby. Type locality : Glen-
clower Station, Flinders River, North-western Queensland.
Dendrolagus lumholtzi Collett. Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo. North-eastern
Queensland.
Dendrolagus lumholtzi fulvus De Vis. Tawny Tree Kangaroo. Herberton,
North Queensland.
Described in 1887 by De Vis as a distinct species (Pr. Roy. Soc.
Qld., iv, p. 132).
Dendrolagus bennettianus De Vis. Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo. Bloomfield River,
North Queensland.
A coloured plate of this species is given in P.Z.S., 1894, Plate XLVI.
Onychogale frsenata (Gould). Bridled Nail-tailed Wallaby. South-western
Queensland.
A. S. Le Soeuf (Austr. Zool., vol. 3, 1923, p. 110) considers this
species to be on the verge of extinction, but it is not uncommon in some
parts of Southern Queensland, and its pelts were frequently seen in the
sales two or three years ago under the name of “ pademelon.” It is
now a protected species,
Lagorchestes conspicillatus pallidior Thomas. Queensland Hare Wallaby.
Northern Queensland.
Sometimes called the “ Grass Rat” by trappers. The light-coloured
Queensland forms were given subspecific rank by Oldfield Thomas in 1908.
Subfamily POTORIN.K.
Ailpyprymnus rufescens (Gray). Rufous Rat-kangaroo. Eastern Queensland.
Bettongia gaimardi (Desmarest)-. Gaimard’s Rat-kangaroo. Southern Queensland.
Potorous tridactylus (Kerr). Dark Rat-kangaroo. Southern Queensland.
Subfamily HYPSIPRYMNODONTIN/E.
Hypsiprymnodon moschatus Ramsay. Musk Rat Kangaroo. North-eastern
Queensland.
In the Cairns district this is sometimes called the “ Black Bandicoot.”
Family PHALANGERIDAT
Acrobates pygmseus (Shaw). Feather-tail or Pygmy Flying Possum.
This dainty little marsupial lives in holes in gum-trees which it
lines with leaves. It is widely distributed in Queensland.
Dromicia (Eudromicia) macrura Mjoberg. Queensland Dormouse-possum.
Atherton Tableland, Queensland.
60
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Mjoberg : (Kungl. Sven. Vetenskapsakad Hlgr., Bd. 52, 1915, p. 19)'
separated lepida, caudcita, and macrura from Dromicia and established the
genus Eudromicia. “ Dromicia frontalis” De Vis (Pr. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. (2),
vol. 1, p. 1134) was founded on immature specimens which are apparently
referable to Acrobates pygrnoeus.
Dactylopsila picata Thomas. Queensland Striped Possum. North Queensland.
In 1908 Thomas separated the Queensland forms from the Papuan
D. trivirgata under the above name. According to Lonnberg and
Mjoberg (1915) the Striped Possum is found as far south as Millaa
Millaa.
Petaurus australis reginse Thomas. Yellow-bellied Flying Phalanger.
The Queensland forms were designated as Petaurus australis regince
by Thomas in 1923.
Petaurus sciureus (Shaw). “ Sugar Squirrel.” Eastern Queensland.
Includes Belideus gracilis De Vis (1882) from “north of Cardwell,”
North Queensland.
Petaurus breviceps Thomas. Lesser Flying Phalanger. Eastern Queensland.
Matschie (loc. cit .) places this in a subgenus Petaurella.
Petaurus breviceps longicaudatus Longman.
In 1924 the writer described this subspecies from the Mapoon Mission.
Station, Gulf of Carpentaria (Pr. Roy. Soc. Qld., xxxvi, p. ix). These
phalangers are most nearly related to Petaurus arid Gould from Port
Essington, included by Thomas (Brit. Mus. Catal.) in the synonymy of
P. breviceps typicus.
Petauroides volans incanus Thomas. Large Flying Phalanger. South-eastern
Queensland.
Petauroides volans armillatus Thomas. Type locality : Coomooboolaroo, East-
Central Queensland.
These two subspecies were described by Thomas in 1923 (Ann. Mag..
Nat. Hist. (9), xi, p. 247-8).
Petauroides volans minor Collett. Type locality: Herbert Vale, North Queens-
land.
Pseudochirus laniginosus (Gould). Common Ring-tailed Possum. Southern
Queensland.
Four subgenera have been described for the Australian and Papuan
1 seudochiri by Matschie and Thomas, but the names are not introduced
here.
Pseudochirus laniginosus oralis Thomas (1926). Type locality: Bloomfield,
East-central Queensland.
Pseudochirus laniginosus incanens Thomas (1923). Type locality : Vine Creek,
Ravenshoe, North Queensland.
THE MARSUPIALS OF QUEENSLAND.
61
Pseudochirus rubidus Troughton & Le Soeuf. Bunya Mountains. Ring-tailed
Possum.
In 1929 Troughton & Le Soeuf described a specimen from the
Bunya Mountains, South Queensland, under the above name (Rec. Aus.
Mus., vol xvii, pp. 291-296, plate xlv).
Pseudochirus herbertensis Collett. Herbert River Ring-tail Possum. North
Queensland.
Pseudochirus herbertensis colletti Waite. Collett's Ring-tail Possum. Cairns
district, North Queensland.
Tli is well-marked subspecies can be readily separated by the smooth
prehensile surface of the tail.
(Pseudochirus dahli Collett, from the Mary River, Arnhem Land, has been
recorded in error by A. S. Le Soeuf (The Wild Animals of Australasia,
p. 268), owing to confusion with the Mary River, Queensland.)
Pseudochirus archeri Collett. Archer’s Ring-tail Possum or Toolah. Cardwell,
Cairns district, North Queensland.
Pseudochirus lemuroides Collett. Sombre Ring-tail Possum. North-east Queens-
land.
Pseudochirus cervinus Longman (1915). Fawn Ring-tail Possum. Atherton
Tableland, North Queensland (Mem. Qld. Mus., iii, p. 22).
Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr). Common or Silver-grey Possum.
Trichosurus vulpecula johnstonii (Ramsay). Type locality : Bellenden-Ker Range,
North Queensland.
This coppery form, which was designated by Ramsay as specifically
distinct, is at least a well-marked subspecies.
Trichosurus vulpecula mesurus Thomas (1926). Type locality : Inkerman, North
Queensland.
Trichosurus vulpecula eburacensis Lonnberg (1915). Type locality : Between
Coleman and Mitchell Rivers, Cape York Peninsula.
This subspecies was described by Lonnberg in 1915 (Kungl. Sv.
vet. Akad. Hlgr., Bd. 52, p. 9).
Trichosurus caninus (Ogilby). “ Scrub ” or Short-eared Possum. Eastern Queens-
land.
Trichosurus caninus nigrans Le Soeuf. Black Short-eared Possum. Coastal
“ scrubs ” of South Queensland and New South Wales.
Described in Australian Zoologist, 1916, i. p. 64.
Phalanger (Ceonyx) maculatus Geoff roy. Spotted Cuscus. Cape York, Queens-
land.
62
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Possibly the Cape York forms should be distinguished from the non-
Australian specimens by the use of Gould’s term nudicaudata (1849)..
In 1918 Alexander established the genus Wyulda for the Cuscus from
North-west Australia, with the specific name squamicaudata.
Family PHASCO LARCTID Ml .
Phascolaretos cinereus adustus Thomas. Koala or Native Bear.
In 1923 Oldfield Thomas separated the Queensland forms from the
New South Wales and Victorian koalas under the name Phascolaretos
cinereus adustus (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (9), xi, p. 246). There are no
records of the occurrence of koalas farther north than Townsville.
Family PHASCOLOMYID/E.
Phascolomys mitchelli Owen. Naked-nosed Wombat. South-eastern Queensland.
According to Mathews and Iredale (Viet. Nat., xxix, 1912, p. 14),.
Perry’s “ Opossum hirsutum ” was applied to the New South Wales
wombat, which would give hirsutum (1811) priority over Owen’s name.
Phascolomys gillespiei De Vis (1900). Queensland Hairy- nosed Wombat. Type
locality : Moonie River, South-western Queensland (Ann. Qld. Mus., No.
5, pp. 14-16, Plates ix-x).
Family DAS YURIDAE.
Dasyurus maculatus (Kerr). “ Tiger Cat ” or “ Spotted-tailed Native Cat.”
Eastern Queensland.
Large specimens of this marsupial may attain 3 feet 6 inches in total
length. Probably most of the stories of a fierce new carnivorous animal
are based on unusually large “ Tiger Cats.” A. S. Le Soeuf ( Wild
Animals of Australasia, pp. 329-332) reprints several references to a
large “ Striped Marsupial Cat" of the Cape York Peninsula, which is
presumably new, but which has never been collected.
Dasyurus hallucatus Gould. Northern Native Cat. North Queensland.
Dasyurus hallucatus predator Thomas. Cape York, Queensland.
This subspecies was described by Thomas in 1926 (Ann. Mag. Nat.
Hist. (9), xviii, p. 543).
Dasyurus gracilis Ramsay.
This species, which was described by Ramsay in 1888 from a single
specimen obtained in the Bellenden-Ker Range, is unrepresented in our
collections.
Dasyurus geoifroyi Gould. Geoffroy’s Native Cat.
Two specimens are listed in our series without precise localities.
Dasyurus viverrinus (Shaw). Common Native Cat.
Although this species is represented in our old collections, no precise
localities are indicated.
THE MARSUPIALS OF QUEENSLAND.
63
Phascogale penicillata (Shaw). Brush-tailed Pouched Rat. Queensland.
Phascogale minutissima (Gould). Pygmy Pouched Mouse. Central and Southern
Queensland.
Phascogale apicalis Gray. Freckled Pouched Mouse. Queensland.
Phascogale flavipes Waterhouse. Yellow-footed Pouched Mouse. Southern
Queensland.
Phascogale flavipes adusta Thomas (1923). Type locality : Ravenshoe, North
Queensland.
Phascogale godmani Thomas (1923). Type locality : Ravenshoe, North Queens-
land.
Planigale ingrami (Thomas) 1906.
A. S. Le Soeuf records this tiny marsupial from near Burketown,
North Queensland (Austr. Zool., 1930, vi, p. 110).
Planigale ingrami brunneus Troughton. Type locality : Wyangerie, Flinders
River, North-western Queensland (F. L. Berney).
The genus Planigale was established by Troughton in 1928 (Records
Austr. Mus., xvi, p. 282), the “ marked flattening of the upper surface
of the skull being the distinctive feature.
Sminthopsis virginise (De Tarragon). Striped-faced Pouched Mouse. East-central
Queensland.
A specimen of this rare marsupial, which came from Mackay, was
described by the writer in the Qld. Agric. Journal, March 1918, p. 117.
Sminthopsis leucopus (Gray). White-footed Pouched Mouse. Eastern Queensland.
Sminthopsis murina (Waterhouse), Grey Pouched Mouse. Southern Queensland.
Sminthopsis crassicaudata (Gould). Fat-tailed Pouched Mouse. Western Queens-
land.
Antechinomys laniger (Gould). Jerboa Pouched Mouse. South-western Queens-
land.
Family PERAMELIMk
Thalacomys lagotis (Reid). Rabbit-Bandicoot. Western Queensland.
Three subspecies have been described. Additional material is required
before the specimens from Western Queensland can be definitely placed,
but they appear to be most closely related to Spencer’s T. minor. A brief
account of a living specimen by the writer appears in the Queensland
Naturalist, vol. iii, 1922, p. 52.
Perameles nasuta Geoffroy. Long-nosed Bandicoot. Southern Queensland.
Perameles nasuta pallescens Thomas. Type locality : Vine Creek, Ravenshoe,
North Queensland. Described in 1923 (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (9), xi,
p. 173).
Isoodon obesulus (Shaw). Short-nosed Bandicoot. Southern Queensland.
64
MEMOIRS OF T1IE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Isoodon macrurus (Gould). Northern Bandicoot.
This species extends to South-eastern Queensland.
Isoodon torosus (Ramsay). Ramsay’s Bandicoot. Type locality : Near Cook-
town, North Queensland.
This is evidently distinct from 1. macrurus.
Isoodon pemnsulse Thomas. Cape York Bandicoot. Northern Cape York.
Choeropus eastanotis (Gray). Pig-footed Bandicoot. Western Queensland.
We have no Queensland specimens in our collection, but Wood- Jones
(Mammals of South Australia, 1924, pt. ii, p. 171) records its occurrence
in the far west of this State.
i
THE GLENORMISTON METEORITE.
65
THE GLENORMISTON METEORITE.
By H. C. Richards, D.Sc, Professor of Geology and Mineralogy, University of
Queensland ; Honorary Petrologist and Mineralogist, Queensland Museum.
(Plates III— VIII.)
INTRODUCTION.
In 1925 a metallic substance was forwarded by Mr. George Wood, Clerk
of Boulia Shire Council, to myself as Professor of Geology in the University of
Queensland, as a result of which its meteoric character was recognised.
Following upon this, about a year later, the Queensland Museum purchased the
meteorite from Mr. F. H. Story, late manager of Glenormiston Station where it
was found.
The mass received by the Queensland Museum shows evidence of one or
two small pieces having been forced away, but it is in a reasonably complete
condition, and as the list of Queensland meteorites is small some interest is
attached to its description.
The main specimen on being received weighed 85J lb., and in shape was
an irregular sub -triangular shell-like mass with distinct concave and convex
surfaces.
The small specimen originally forwarded to myself for examination
weighed approximately 750 grammes, while another one forwarded to Mr. B.
Dunstan, Chief Government Geologist, weighed approximately the same amount.
The chemical analysis made in the Government Chemical Laboratory by
Mr. F. Connah through the courtesy of Mr. J. B. Henderson, Government
Analyst, was made on borings from the specimen forwarded to myself.
A fragment weighing 1,550 grammes has been sawn from the main mass
to afford a surface for etching purposes and for examination ; the line of
parting is shown on Plate III.
OBSERVATIONS ON QUEENSLAND METEORITES.
In the Records of the Australian Museum, Sydney, 1913, Dr. C. Anderson
furnishes a Catalogue of Australian Meteorites and gives six Queensland meteorites,
of which four are of the siderite type and two are aerolites (the Legould and
the Warbreccan).
The siderites are Mungindi No. 1 and No. 2 (portions of the same fall), a
meteorite from Southern Queensland referred to in the Catalogue of Ward and
Coonley Collection of Meteorites 1904, and the Thunda meteorite.
E
66 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
The only other Queensland meteorites apart from the Glenormiston one-
known to the author are an undescribed siderite (coarsest octahedrite) weighing
14 J, cwt., found near Gladstone and disposed of by Mr. B. Dunstan to Wards
Natural History Establishment, New York, and an undescribed collection of 102
fragments of various sizes and aerolitic in character which were seen to fall on
Tenharu Station near the junction of Cooper and Kyabra Creeks, in South-
western Queensland, in the year I860, by Mr. M. Hammond and his brothers.
The Mungindi No. 1 and No. 2 weigh 51 lb. and 62 lb. respectively, are
finest octahedrite (off., Brezina) or fine octahedrite (of., Farrington), and were
found in 1907 three miles north of Mungindi, which is on the border of
Queensland and New South Wales in Lat. 29° S., Long. 149° E. The specimens
are now in the Mining and Geological Museum, Sydney.
The meteorite recorded in the Ward and Coonley Collection is a broad
octahedrite (og.) and came from Southern Queensland.' As the only meteorite
of this type known in Queensland is the Gladstone meteorite, and as a part of
this has been missing for many years, it is possible that this represents the
missing portion.
The Thunda siderite weighed 137 lb., is a medium octahedrite (om.),
and was found in 1886 at Windorah in the Diamantina district, Lat. 25 ° 25 ' S.,
Long. 142° 40' E., some 300 miles south-east of Glenormiston. It was described
by the late Professor A. Liversidge, F.R.S. (Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., vol. 20,
p. 73, also vol. 22, p. 341).
Its density is given as 7-78 and its composition as nickel iron containing
a trace of cobalt together with sulphur, phosphorus, and carbon. “ The pittings
are very large and cup-like and some of them almost perforate the meteorite”
(Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., xxii, p. 341).
“ This meteorite is also remarkable for the many nodules of sulphide of
iron which it contains” (A.A.A.S., vol. ii, 1890, p. 387).
In Bull. 94 U.S. Nat. Museum the analysis by E. Cohen of this meteorite
is given, and from it Cohen calculated the mineral composition to be as
follows : —
Per cent
Nickel iron
98-85
Schreibersite
1-09
Troilite
0-05
Chromite
0-01
The following particulars relating to the Gladstone meteorite, which was
purchased by Ward's Natural History Establishment, New York, some time ago,
have been kindly furnished by Mr. B. Dunstan, Chief Government Geologist. : —
It was found in 1914 four miles due south of Gladstone, two and a-half
miles north-west from Tooloola Siding, was approximately 33 inches by 12
inches by 9 inches (mean dimensions), has a density of 7-75, and weighs
14| cwt.
THE GLENORMISTON METEORITE. G?
An analysis by Mr. F. Connah of the Government Analyst’s Laboratory
“of chips from all over specimen of iron portion'’ is shown in the table of
analyses in this paper.
Large nodules of troilite, of which one was 1 inch by 2J inches in
section, occurred and “ apparently there is a mixture of coarse troilite (crystals),
graphite, and particles of iron in the nodules.” Analysis of a nodule yielded
Per cent.
Iron
59-4
Nickel
2-0
Cobalt
0-3
Sulphur
33-4
Residue
2-3
Total
97-4
The polished section (-see Plate VIII) after etching with dilute nitric acid
exhibited very good Widmanstatten figures ; the lamella* are very coarse and
range up to 4 mm. in width, the large majority being greater than 2-5 mm.
It comes within the coarsest octahedrite classification of Farrington or
octahedrite (ogg., Brezina).
The curious and interesting obsidian buttons or australites which have
been found in other Australian States have not yet been recorded definitely
from Queensland. Some years ago Mrs. Saunders, the widow of a man interested
in tin-mining in Northern Queensland, presented the University Geological
Department with a collection of minerals, and in a tobacco tin containing
pellets of cassiterite were two small undoubted australites which had been worn
and knocked about to some extent. They weighed 1-005 and 0-591 grammes
respectively and have densities as follows : 2-436 and 2-581.
Whether they really came from tin-wash in Northern Queensland we will
probably never be able to settle, but it is interesting to know that Mrs.
Saunders did not know of their existence in the sample of cassiterite pellets.
THE GLENORMISTON METEORITE.
Time and Place of Falling.
The date of falling is unknown, and the only available information
relating to the finding is contained in a letter from Mr. F. H. Story, dated
November 14th, 1926 :
“• • • I regret that I cannot give you much information regarding it,
as no one knew when or saw it fall. It was discovered when one of the boys
was tracking a stray horse, who brought me home a small piece. I then sent
the car and got the balance of it in. It fell on a small plain about 5 miles
west of Glenormiston. Station House in the Boulia district or to be exact 90
miles west of Boulia.” This would make its location about Lat. 22° 54' S
Long. 138° 43' E.
fit, MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Size and Weight.
The size on receipt at the Museum was 19|” x 131 x 8f" and its weight
was 85 1 lb. As indicated earlier, at least two fragments weighing together a
few pounds are known to have been removed, so that the meteorite weighed
at least 90 lb.
Form.
The meteorite, owing to having distinct concave and convex surfaces
with a maximum thickness between them of not more than 4 inches, may best
be regarded as a deeply pitted shell-like fragment, which has a maximum
length of 19-5 inches and a maximum -width of 13-2 inches. When resting on
its convex surface (see Plate V) the highest point above the table is 8-8 inches.
Both surfaces have been coated with a thin film of dark chocolate brown
iron oxide crust, and only where the original surface has been broken is there
any indication of the distinctly brecciated character of the meteorite.
Both surfaces are well pitted, but the concave surface has several
cup-like depressions as much as 5 inches in depth in one case. The depressions
are relatively smooth and run one into the other, also they may be roughly ovate
or circular in form The deepest depression perforates the mass. The convex
side is more characteristically “ thumb-marked,” an average width for the
shallow rounded depressions being If to 2 inches, while the perforation from the
deep depression on the concave surface shows up as a rounded hole approxi-
mately an inch in diameter.
The shell has a maximum thickness of 4 inches, but over muc'.i of its
area is rather less, perhaps 2 inches on the average.
Brecciated Character.
The very thin crust of iron oxide disguises rather effectively the
distinctly brecciated character of the mass. The individual granules of kamacite,
which in cross-section are polygonal (five or six sides being the usual number)
and which are generally equidimensional in size, vary in diameter from 13 mm.
to 2 5 mm., but have an average diameter of approximately 6 mm.
In between the kamacite granules plate-like crystals of tsenite and
probably plessite are arranged eutectically, while distributed through the
kamacite crystals themselves are troilite granules and rounded to irregular
granules of what is believed to be sc-hreibersite (see Plates VI and VII).
Chemical Composition.
The following chemical analysis was made by Mr. F. Connah, of the
Government Analyst’s Laboratory, on the borings made by drilling a half-inch
hole to a depth of 14 inches.
For comparison, the analysis has been arranged in a table along with the
average composition of iron meteorites as determined by Merrill, 1 with the
1 Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc., xlv, 1926, p. 124.
THE GLEN OHM IS T 0 N METEOIUTE.
(>9-
analysis of the Thunda meteorite of Queensland and with the analyses of iron
meteorites from Gladstone in Queensland, from Mount Edith in Western
Australia, from South Australia, from Narraburra in New South Males, and
from Cranbourne in Victoria.
The general description by Professor Liversidge of the Thunda meteorite
corresponds closely with that of the Glenormiston meteorite, and as the chemical
analyses are so similar it is not at all unlikely that they constitute portions
of the same original mass, although found approximately 300 miles apart.
—
The
Glenormiston
Meteorite,
Qld.
Average 2
Compo-
sition of
Meteorites
Iron Nickel
portion of
Gladstone
Meteorite,
Qld.
Thunda 3
Meteorite,
Qld.
Narra-
burra 4
Meteorite,
N.S.W.
Cranbourne 5
No. 2
Meteorite,
Vic.
Meteorite, 6
S.A .
Mt. Edith 7
Meteorite,
W.A.
Iron . .
89-74
90-85
92-9
91-54
88-605
92-34
88-85
89-45
Nickel
8-71
8-52
6-4
8-49
9-741
6-3 f
9-07
9-45
Cobalt
0-21
0-59
0-1
0-56
0-474
0-75
0-34
0-75
Phosphorus . .
0-36
0-17
0-18
0-17
0-429
0-19
0-27
0-35
S ulphur
0-30
0-04
Nil
002
traces
0-18
0-75
Carbon
0-24
0-03
Nil
0-008
Copper
0-02
Chromite
001
Difference
0-44
Total
100-00
100-81
100-00
Density
7-621
7-57
7-693
Fe : Ni
10-3 : 1
10-7 : 1
14-5 : 1
10-8 : 1
9-1 1
14-5 : 1
9-8 : 1
9-5 : 1
Weight
85£ lb
137 lb.
71 lb.
3 ( cwt.
7} lb.
350 lb.
Analyst
Classification
F. Connah
Brecciated
medium
octahedrite
(obz.)
F. Connah
Coarsest
octahed-
rite'
Medium
octahed-
rite
(om.)
Broad
octahed-
rite
W. S. Chap-
man
Octahedrite
Medium
octahed-
rite
(om,)
The chemical analysis shows nothing abnormal or unusual in any way,
and is closely comparable with that of several iron meteorites from Australia
and elsewhere.
In comparison with the average composition of iron meteorites it appears
to be a little deficient in cobalt but much richer in phosphorus, sulphur, and
carbon. Such a comparison, however, may be deceptive as it is not likely that
there is a linear variation of the constituents of iron meteorites, and comparison
with an average composition may be very misleading.
2 Proc. Amor. Phil. Soc., xlv, p. 124.
3 Bull. 94, U.S. Nat. Mus., p. 158.
4 Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., xxxvii.
5 Mem. Nat. Mus. Melb. No. 0, p. 22.
6 Proc. Roy. Soc. S. Ausfc. 1901, p. 14.
7 Bull. 59, Oeol. Surv. West Aust., p. 212.
70 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
The relationship between the structure as revealed by etching polished
surfaces and the percentage of nickel has been well established by 0. C.
Farrington and adopted by G. P. Prior 8 and others.
The cubic irons or hexahedrites have an iron to nickel ratio greater than
13 : 1. while the octahedral irons or octahedrites which constitute the main
bulk of the meteoric irons range between 13:1 and 6:1.
The Glenormiston iron with its ratio of 10-3 : 1 is, therefore, in the
group of octahedrites on this basis, and one might expect it to show the
minerals and structures characteristic of that placing. On etching a polished
surface, however, one does not obtain the Widmanstatten structure so
characteristic of the octahedrites, but instead there is developed the structures
shown in the cubic irons or hexahedrites. The fact that the meteorite is so
definitely brecciated may account for this.
On the iron-nickel ratio the Glenormiston meteorite is a medium
octahedrite.
Examination of the figures in Plate VI will show the uneven distribution
of the troilite, schreibersite, and the tsenite throughout the main mass of kama-
cite crystals, and the borings analysed may perhaps be not truly representative
of the mass as a whole. The correct sampling for analysis of a brecciated iron
meteorite of this type is a very difficult matter unless an undue quantity of
material is dissolved.
Examination of Polished and Etched Surfaces.
Structures and Minerals present.
The meteorite is distinctly tough and the extreme labour and slowness
associated with even quite small cuts with a hacksaw pointed to a rather
high carbon content in the material. By means of a carborundum saw a face
oi inches long and 3 inches wide was obtained and subsequently polished.
This was cut from one end of the meteorite as shown in Plate III.
The polished surface showed clearly the brecciated character and angular
eutectic intergrowths of tsenite and plessite could be seen in reflected light, while
small nodules of troilite and larger nodular masses of schreibersite alone or mixtures
of schreibersite and troilite could be detected by the use of reflected light without
magnification and without artificial aid (see Plate VI).
The surface responded very readily to attack by dilute nitric acid ; the
troilite nodules became dissolved leaving small rounded pits. The crystals of
kamacite showed very well indeed the Neumann lines,, while the angular platy
intergrowths of tsenite (and plessite) stood out in relief from the surface of the
kamacite as it dissolved away. A beautiful damascene effect on some of the
kamacite faces showed up in parts of the etched surface in the early stage of
the attack and before the Neumann lines had been very w'ell developed.
Miner. Mag., vol. xix.
Til K CxlKNOHMlHTON METEORITE.
71
When the etching was carried out still further the damascene effect
became lost, the Neumann lines were well developed and the surface of the
kamacite crystals became rough owing to the greater resistance of small pin-
point portions which do not appear to an equal extent in all the kamacite
surfaces, but which seem to have an even and rather systematic network
distribution throughout the whole mass. These more resistant pin-points may
indicate the existence of minute segregations of carbon throughoutt he kamacite.
The richer nickel-bearing material which has filled in the interstices
between the kamacite crystals is very reminiscent of the form which quartz
assumes in its intergrowth with felspar in graphic granite. These sharply angular
and triangular masses have a distinctly yellowish reflecting surface compared
with the kamacite, and not infrequently appear to have a marked border,
rather thin but distinctly lamellar (see Plate VII, fig. 1). It may be that in
these cases we may have an outer lamellar envelope of taenite wrapping up the
plessite.
The troilite granules are all small, averaging little more than 1 mm. in
diameter, though some reach 2 mm. They are abundant and distributed some-
what unevenly, occur indiscriminately in the kamacite, in the tsenite and
plessite, and sometimes form a compound granule with what is believed to be
schreibersite.
This latter mineral occurs as irregular-shaped nodules, brittle in character,
with a paler yellow reflecting surface than the troilite, with surfaces showing
cleavage faces and much rougher than the nickel rich material filling the
interstices, and offers considerable resistance to the attack of quite strong
nitric acid.
Separate chemical analysis has not been carried out on this material,
but it is believed to be schreibersite (iron-nickel phosphide).
The kamacite crystals are arranged, as one might expect in a brecciated
octahedrite, with the Neumann lines of adjacent grains generally showing no
relationship whatever to one another (Plate VII, fig. 2).
When the etched surface as a whole is viewed by reflected light, great
variation is noted between adjacent crystals or adjacent groups of crystals in
their surface illumination according to the incidence of the light. This so-called
“ schiller” effect of some writers on meteorites is very pronounced owing to the
different orientation in different groups of plates, and is illustrated in the three
figures of Plate VI, in which the same surface has been photographed with light
coming from different directions. The curved line on the top surface of each
figure marks the base of one of the cup-like depressions, and it is noteworthy
that the fresh metallic material has only the thinnest oxidised coating. In the
photographs on Plate VI the Neumann lines on the kamacite (k) plates are
seen clearly. Schreibersite (s), taenite and plessite (t), and troilite (tr) may also
be identified in the figures.
u MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
To Mr. H. A. Longman, Mr. B. Dunstan, Dr. F. W. Whitehouse, and
Mr. A. N. Falk I wish to extend thanks for help in connection with the
illustrations in this paper.
SUMMARY.
The Glenormiston meteorite, which weighed nearly 90 lb., may be
regarded as a brecciated octahedrite of medium composition with a density 7-621.
It is composed essentially of crystals of kamacite averaging approximately
6 mm. in diameter and which are not orientated according to any definite
arrangement as shown by their reflected surfaces, but which show well-developed
Neumann lines after etching.
Finite and plcssite occur as eutectic intergrowths with the kamacite
crystals, while troilitc and schreibersite in the form of rounded or irregular
nodules sometimes simple but often compound occur in moderate abundance.
Widmanstatten structure is not present.
MEMO ms OF Tim QUEENSLAND MUSEUM, Vol. X, Plate III.
Face page 72.
Maximum length I9J inches.
Photo., II. IF. Mobsby.
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM., Yol. X, Plate IY,
Face page 72.
MEMOIRS OF TTIE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM, A t ol. X, Plate V.
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MEMO ms OE THE QVEEX8UNV Ml', SEEM. Vol. X, Plate VI.
The Glenormiston Meteorite.
Three photographs by reflected light, natural size, of etched surface. See page 71 of text.
Photos., A. N. Falk. Face page 72.
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM, Yol. X, Plate VII.
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MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM, Yol. X, Plate VIII.
Face page 72,
The Gladstone Meteorite.
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSCAN NOTES, No. S.
73
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSCAN NOTES, No. 2.
By Tom Iredale.*
(Plate IX.)
Continuing these notes, f new species are described and rectifications of
identity are recorded. These are determined mainly from the collections made
by Mr. Melbourne Ward and Mr. William Board man, of the Australian Museum,
who have dredged successfully in Port Curtis, and off North-west Island,
Capricorn Group. Successful shore collecting was also done by them on the
mainland and islets, and this has proved of service for comparison, showing
clearly the distinction between the fauna of the mainland and that of the
coral reef.
The accompanying illustrations were prepared by Miss J. K. Allan, of the
Australian Museum, to whom my best thanks are here tendered.
Melaxinsea labyrintha gen. & sp. nov.
(Plate IX, figs. 1-4.)
Under this name is described the shell which in recent years has been called
Glycymeris vitreus Lamarck. Beautiful living specimens were dredged by Mr.
Melbourne Ward in Albany Passage, 9-12 fathoms, and upon checking Lamarck’s
reference many discrepancies were noted. Firstly, it was described from “ Mers
australes” collected by Peron, and this shell is only taken by the dredge in
Queensland waters where Peron did not collect. This created suspicion, and
the description called for a thin brittle shell, which this species is not, and
then it was found that Reeve had figured the unique valve. Reeve’s figures
definitely showed a differently shaped shell with a more complex sculpture, the
ears especially differing.
Shell semi-orbicular, very compressed, thin but solid, a little oblique.
Colouration dirty cream or fawn marked with brown spots irregularly. The
straight ligamental edge shows a narrow compressed ligamental area above which
the umbones almost meet. The sculpture in the adult shows close radial lines of
nodules on a groundwork of concentric crinkled threads. The minute juvenile
here figured shows that the sculpture begins as about twenty defined nodulose
ribs, the interstices minutely concentrically threaded. With age these ribs split,
the nodules being less continuous, and in the adult fifty or more ribs can be
* By permission of the Trustees of the Australian Museum,
t Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, vol. ix, part 3, 1929.
74
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
seen, some still showing their duplicate nature. The hinge is composed of two
straight rows of teeth, meeting angulately in the juvenile, separated by the
ligamental area intruding in the adult. The inside colouration is white in the
juvenile but mostly marked with brown in the adult. The crenulation of the
edge is deep and regular when young but less marked though still definite in
the adult.
Length 37 mm. ; height 38 mm. ; diameter 12 mm.
Habitat : North Queensland (only dredged). Type from Albany Passage,
9-12 fathoms. Also collected at Michaelmas Cay, 9-12 fathoms.
Probably Lamarck's vitreus came from West Australia, as Odlnier (Ivungl.
Svensk. Vet. Akad. Handl., Bd. 52, No. 16, p. 22, pi. 1, ff. 12-13, 1917) has
figured a young specimen from oil Cape Jaubert, North-west Australia, which
differs from ours in detail, and in shape fits Reeve’s figure of Lamarck’s type
well.
Family TELLINIDA3.
A curious Tellinid was included in a fine collection brought back by Mr.
Melbourne Ward from the islands in the Whitsunday Passage. It proved to
be identical with a shell from New Caledonia identified in London as Tellinungula
bruguU.fi Hanley. Tellina bruguieri was described from the island of Panhay,
Philippines, and the Australian specimen differs from the description and figure
in the shorter posterior side and the more produced anterior edge, the concentric
sculpture more pronounced and the radial nearly obsolete ; the teeth are even
larger and the pallial sinus of greater extent. These features can be
distinguished with the subspecific name refecta nov. Regarded as referable to
the genus Macoma on account of its lack of lateral teeth, it was separated by
H. Adams (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1S60, p. 369) with the name Macalia, introduced
for it alone. Twelve years later Romer, monographing the Tellinidae in the
Conch. Cab. ed. Kuster, Bd. x, Abth. 4, p. 268, 1872, and ignorant of H. Adams’s
action, again recognised its distinction, giving the name Tellinungula to the
section for the single species. Bertin in his monograph of the Tellinidse left it
in Macoma, with which genus it has probably no close affinity ; and Dali,
without comment, in the Trans. Wagner Free Inst. Science, vol. iii, p. 1044,
1900, allowed it as of sectional value under the subgenus Macoma, probably
from no close attention to the shell, as it is of striking appearance, recalling
Tellina inflata Gmelin and Tellina spedabilis Hanley. The latter has been
classed under Metis, which name, long known to be preoccupied, has, at the
second attempt, been emended to Apolymelis by Salisbury (Proc. Malac. Soc.
(Lond.) vol. xviii, p. 258, Nov. 1929). Hanley’s spedabilis does not appear to
me to be congeneric with meyeri, the type of Apolymetis, and is therefore here
differentiated with the new generic name Leporimetis. Hanley’s Tellina spedabilis
and bruguieri were both described in the Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.) 1844, pp.
141-2, Dec., from the Philippine Islands.
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSC AN NOTES, No. S. 75
Prophetilora arizsla gen. & sp. nov.
(Plate IX, figs. 10, 11.)
A toothless “ Lucinid” with delicate concentric sculpture and somewhat
indistinct radials, which can be easily visualised as being like a large
embodiment of the shell described as Lucina ramsayi by Smith (Rep. Chalk
Zool., vol. xiii, 1885, p. 174), for which I have recently introduced (Rec. Austr.
Mus., vol. xvii, 1930, p. 390) the genus name Monitilora. In the present case
the cardinal is missing, the lunule still more impressed, and the interior inside
the pallial line chalky and pustulose.
Shell semi-circular, subglobose, subequilateral, equivalve, um bones small,
attingent. Colour white, somewhat glassy, translucent, thin but strong. Lunule
small but deeply impressed, anterior side somewhat pointed, posterior side
subangulate. The sculpture consists of fine concentric well-marked lirse obscurely
striate with fine radials which form a subcrenulation only discernible with a
glass. An indistinct radial groove marks off the posterior wing. Interior
chalky inside the pallial line, vitreous outside. Hinge edentulous. Muscle scars
normally lucinid, rather narrow and elongate.
Length 38 mm. ; height 34-5 mm. ; depth of single valve 10 mm.
Habitat : North Queensland. Type from Friday Island, Torres Strait.
Also collected at Michaelmas Cay.
Fallartemis amina gen. & sp. nov.
(Plate IX, figs. 14, 15.)
Mr. Melbourne Ward brought back a large quantity of shells and shell-
sand from the beach at Friday Island, Torres Strait, and many Dosinids were
present. Two very distinct forms are here named ; the commonest species in
the collection being Dosinia deshayesii which was well figured by Smith (Rep.
Chalk Zook, vol. xiii, 1885, pi. i, fig. 1). The present genus is based on a
comparatively smooth shell of the sculjrta Hanley series which is here named
Fallartemis amina, and is named as type of the genus, there being a number
of species related to sculpta.
Shell small, subcircular, thin but strong, broader than high, fairly
compressed, lunule small, rather shallow, escutcheon obsolete. Colour white,
with faint radial underlying translucent streaks, more noticeable medially. The
sculpture consists of fine lamella: set very closely, and comparatively smooth
medially ; they develop on each edge into fine frilled puckers more pronounced.
At each side radials also appear, these being most marked on the anterior
side, and missing on the medial portion that appears smooth and rather shining.
Hinge line shallow', more spread than in Pardosinia, the adductor muscle scars
rather small and narrow. Pallial sinus of median length, reaching about half-
way across both as to height and breadth.
Height 29 mm. ; length 32 mm. ; depth of single valve 8 mm.
76
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Habitat : North Queensland. Type from Friday Island, Torres Strait.
There is a species described by Deshayes as Dosinia semiobliterata (Cat-
Conch. Coll. Brit. Mus., pt. i, p. 6, 1853) from Australia, collected by Strange,
which has apparently not been figured nor localised. The description reads
something like this species but it is more probably sculpta Hanley.
Semelartemis setha gen. & sp. nov.
(Plate IX, fig. 18.)
A curious Dosinid recalling Semelc in appearance and of different shape
from most of the family, the texture also distinctive.
Shell somewhat elongately subcircular, inequilateral, thin, rather fragile,,
somewhat compressed, lunule small, impressed, escutcheon notable, a little
winged. Colour white. The sculpture consists of rather prominent closely set
lamellar ridges, finer umbonad, and little frilled at the edges. there is no
radial striation present. The extraordinary prolongation of the posterior side
differentiates this from all other Australian Dosinid groups. Hinge very broad
shallow, adductor muscle scars small. Pallial sinus long and rather narrow,
reaching more than halfway across the interior. The escutcheon is very much
lengthened and winged recalling that of D. alata in the immature, but less
noticeable in the adult.
Height 46 mm. ; length 52-5 mm. ; depth of single valve 12 mm.
Habitat : North Queensland. Type from Friday Island, Torres Strait-..
Coralastele allanse gen. & sp. nov.
(Plate IX, fig. 5.)
A beautiful Trochoid of no close relationship to any other Australian
species. Shell thin, delicate, truly conical, pseudo-umbilicate, columella arcuate,
not plaited, outer lip thin. Colour rosy or brownish pink with regular brownish
red markings on the ridges and intervals. Whorls eight, excluding a somewhat
tilted one-whorled protoconch. The last whorl seven-eighths of the bulk of the
shell, semi-shouldered, the gently rounded periphery showing three equidistant
elevated thin ridges, sometimes with a faint thread between ; the shoulder
also bears a similar ridge ; the base is rounded, similarly cingulate with eight
ridges, a few threads sometimes between. The preceding whorl is similarly
ornamented, two main cinguli present, the antepenultimate showing only one
with radial threads overriding which are obsolete or absent on the later whorls.
The earliest whorls show more prominently the radial sculpture as radiating
ribs. The mouth is circular, the outer lip thin, columella well arched ending
abruptly in a projecting tip and meeting the body whorl with a sweep, a thin
glaze joining the outer lip. The pseudo-umbilicus is narrow and deep.
Height 14 mm. ; breadth 13 mm.
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSCAN NOTES, No. S. 77
Habitat : Queensland. The type is from North-west Island, Capricorn
Group.
Hedley collected this species alive at Murray Island in crevices of coral
blocks, and the operculum is thin, horny, multispiral. Specimens were compared
in the British Museum (Natural History) and were pronounced novel. This
beautiful species is named for Miss J. K. Allan, who has furnished so many
excellent paintings of Australian molluscs to accompany papers by Hedley
and myself.
Family CEftITHIID/E.
As noted in my last paper 1 had not solved the problems surrounding
the generic names to be used in this family, and here offer some notes with
regard to the names under consideration. The acceptance of the names given
by Martyn in the Universal Conchologist has been a source of much trouble,
and Winck worth’s conclusion, that, as Martyn was not using a binomial
nomenclature in the explanation to the plates, Martyn’s names be rejected, is
herewith confirmed. The beautiful figures provided by Martyn have never-
been excelled, but his proposed system of nominating them was never published,
and the recognition of Martyn’s temporary names has caused much confusion
without creating any benefit. The name Clava used by Martyn in 1784 is
therefore ignored, and we can pass on to Cerithium introduced by Bruguiere in
1792, when a whole series of species was named but no type indicated, and
from this point, we must determine the usage of this name. Lamarck in 1799
cited Mure x aluco L. only, but in 1801 named Cerithium nodulosum Bruguiere
as examples. The first type designation was made by Montfort in 1810 when
vertagus L. was selected. Gray in 1847 included “ Cerithium Adans. Brug.,”
with type “ Murex radula ,” but since then Cerithium has been used with
nodulosum as example, a solution quite inacceptable. Clava was correctly
introduced by Humphrey in the Museum Calonnianum in 1797, but Gmelin had
used the name in a different sense in 1791, so Clava can be absolutely dismissed
from this problem. Cerithium then seems only valid for the vertagus series,
which have been commonly called Vertagus following Schumacher in 1817, but
this usage was bad as Link in 1807 had pre-empted Vertagus for different
shells. At the same time Link introduced Aluco for some cerithioid shells of
which Cerithium adansonii was the first species, and is here named as type.
The West African forms are not congeneric with the Pacific shells, so that
Aluco does not come into use in Australian nomenclature.
In 1899 Hedley described a new generic form Contumax, which later
proved to be the very juvenile shell of nodulosum, a huge, massive, coral reef
shell of very different appearance when adult. Yet Hod ley’s name appears to
be the only one available for the group about nodulosum, while Pseudovertagus
Vignal proposed for aluco can be used independently. The change from the
juvenile to adult shown in nodulosum is somewhat paralleled in aluco, as
described below in connection with the new species Pseudovertagus excelsior.
The details regarding Clava can be studied in Dali. (Trans. Wagner Free Inst.
78
MEMOIRS OF TIIE QUEENSLAND MUSLI M.
Sci vol iii p 290 1892), Pilsbry (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 1901, p. 392),.
Cos— (Eli Paleoconch . comp. live 7. pp. 66-84 1906, Dali. (Proc. Acad.
Nat. Sci. Philad, vol. 59, p. 363, 1907), and Winckworth (Proc Mai. Soc.
(Lond.), vol. xviii, p. 228, 1929). These results may be written thus :
Type by Montfort, 1810 : Cerithium vertagus
Linne.
Type here named Cerithium adansonii Bruguiere..
Not Australian.
Cerithium Bruguiere
Aluco Link
Contumax Hedley . .
Pseudovertagus Vignal
Type, C. decollata = C. nodulosum Bruguiere.
Type, Mur ex aluco Linne.
Many further subdivisions will be discussed later.
Pseudovertagus excelsior sp. nov.
(Plato IX, fig. 17.)
An elegant Cerithioid nearest C. sowerbyi Kiener, which I have renamed
C. phylarchus, but more subulate.
Shell awl-shaped, tapering rapidly, earlier whorls clathrately sculptured,
later whorls smooth, columella not plaited, canal very much recurved. Colour
greenish white marked with more or less regular squarish purple-brown spots,
the ground colour appearing as spiral lines, the darker as irregular radial marks.
The last whorl shows a semi-absorbed varix at the third, but no previous
varices are to be seen ; basally fine grooving, to the number of four, surrounds
the whorl but these can scarcely be seen on the penultimate, and on the
penultimate the intervening spaces appear more as elevated scarcely nodulous
ridges. Normally the adult is truncate, about twelve adult whorls being
counted ; the earliest of these shows a very distinct radial ribbing of about
ten to twelve ribs overrun with close threads very different from the later
whorls. The suture is linear but threadlike and distinct. The mouth is obliquely
oval, the outer lip circular, heavy, thickened, subvaricose, the columella not
plaited, inner lip as a heavy glaze extending across the body whorl to the
outer lip where just inside there is a prominent notch and entering ridge. The
canal is long but bent back at right angles and narrow, no umbilical chink
being present.
Length 74 mm. ; breadth 21 mm.
Habitat : North Queensland. Type dredged in 11 fathoms, Michaelmas
Cay.
A correction may be here added as in my last notes I proposed
Cerithium probleema for Cerithium lemniscatum Quoy & Gaimard, and I find
that Cossmann (Essais Paleoconch. comp. livr. 7, July 1906, p. 123, footnote)
had made the alteration, providing Cerithium philippinense, a correction not
recorded in the Zoological Record.
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSCAN NOTES, No. S. 79
Family CONIML
Many species of Cones have been recognised from Queensland. Hedley
admitted forty-three species, a number so inadequate that Shirley immediately
suggested the addition of twenty-one more, but as he included extralimital
shells of illegitimate origin none of his additions can be incorporated without
confirmation. I recorded eleven legitimate accessions and there are still more.
As with Cowries, Cones have long been a source of delight to amateur shell-
collectors, their form and beauty deservedly being admired. Nearly a thousand
species have been named, and it is now very difficult to determine the identity
of a species among so many, as subdivision has not been systematically carried
out. An attempt is here made to fix the major groups as a preliminary to
more accurate nomination.
The type of the genus Conus has been commonlv regarded as marmoreus
Linn., but the earliest type designation appears to have been made by Swainson
when he named C. litteratns Linn, as the type (Treat. Malac. 1840, p. 148).
Previously Montfort (Conch. Syst., vol. ii, 1810, p. 407) had named C. fulgurans
= C , generalis Linnc as type, but that species does not occur in the tenth
edition of Linne’s Systema Naturae and hence is inadmissible. In the same
place Montfort carried out an excellent splitting up of the Linnean genus,
introducing Cylinder, Rollus, Hermes, and Rhombus for easily recognisable
groups. Swainson renamed the same groups and added some more, and then
Morch (Cat. Conch. Yoldi., 1852) proposed a few more. Little attention has
since been paid to this group, so that while the major groups, which may be
subfamilies or even families, are named, the majority of the species have been
systematically neglected.
The group known as the Textile Cones was separated by Montfort
under the name Cylinder ; there is, however, a prior Cylindra as noted in my
previous paper in these Memoirs, so that recourse would be to Swainson ’s
Textilia, but Swainson indicated ' bullata as the type, and this is not a normal
textile species. As there seems to be more than one genus in this series
I propose Darioconus, naming omaria Brug. as type and Regiconus with cturatus
Bruguiere as type. In the same manner Hermes and Theliconus were proposed
for the nussatella series, and glans Bruguiere has been there included, but it
deserves generic rank and I introduce the name Leporiconus with glans as type
and here associate coccineus Gmelin.
When Swainson introduced his genus Dendroconus he nominated striatus
as type, and as this distinct form requires a distinct designation there is this
name available though hitherto it has been used for the betulinus series. For
this latter I propose Cleobula, naming figulinus as type.
This brings us to the Cone we are most concerned with here, viz., a form
of the ammiralis type. Whitley and I secured a small specimen at Michaelmas
Cay which was referable here, but did not exactly agree, so was left unnamed.
Messrs. Ward & Boardman secured a magnificent specimen of the same species
so
M$MOIJtS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
at North-west Isle, Capricorn Group, and it is here differentiated as Leptoconus
ammiralis temnes subsp. nov. It is a more elegant form than the typical shell,
with the spire longer and more concave. It is nearest Reeves fig. 11c, blit
the markings are more pronounced, bold white blotches being present with dark-
brown linear stripes, the median band bearing two interrupted lines of brown
on a cream ocellated ground. Coronaxis was introduced by Sw r ainson with
marmoreus Linn, as type, but the name has been, used for the ebvevus series,
which is here named Virroconus , ebrceus being selected as type. For the arenatvs
series Swainson’s Puncticulis is available, while Marches names Bhtzoconus,
Pionoconvs, and Phasmoconus can be utilised for the groups typified by miles
Linne, magus Linne, and radiatus Gmelin respectively. Many more names will
be proposed before any comparative system will be brought into this family,
such series as the anemone, one of Southern Australia standing apart. For
anemone Lamarck as type, I here propose the genus Floraconus, and also note
that there is still confusion in connection with this species which I am attending
to in another place.
Cancellaphera amasia gen. & sp. nov.
(Plate IX. fig. 8.)
Shell small, subglobose, solid, spire short, shoulder of whorls tabulate,
mouth somewhat triangular, umbilicus small and deep, plaits three. Colour
purplish brown with the nodules paler reddish. Whorls four with a smooth
glassy protoeoneh of two whorls, somewhat globose. Adult whorls with deep
channelled shoulder, the sculpture of longitudinal ribs crossed by strong spiral
threads, the ribs being twenty in number, the threads about ten on the last
whorl. The umbilicus is small, bounded by a curved rib. Columella straight
with three plaits situated rather deeply, forming an anterior subcanal ; posteriorly,
the inner lip crossing as a thin glaze meets the outer lip, the aperture being
triangular in shape but not free. Outer lip thick but not varicose, eleven long
entering ridges being counted inside.
Height 15 mm. ; depth 10 mm.
Habitat : Queensland. Type dredged in 9-11 fathoms, Port Curtis.
May be Cancellaria obliquata Lamarck of Hedley’s list.
Family CYPR^EIDiE.
In my last notes I added several species but was unable to rectify the
generic nomination. I have, however, to add a new species, a very unexpected
event, so have endeavoured to utilise Scliilder's recent Revision (Arch, fur
Naturg. (Wiegmann) Year 91, 1925, abt. A, heft 10, issued in 1927), and bring
our species into line with recent research. Schikler’s essays mark a most pro-
nounced advance, and again completely illustrate the development of the
splitter whenever intensive study is undertaken. Beginning with few genera,
Schilder has now recognised eighty-four subgenera which he used in a generic
sense, and, realising that this result would cause a sensation, lumped several
81
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSCAN NOTES, No. 3.
species equally as worthy of separation. Consequently in this note I propose
several new genera to remove obvious anomalies and further assist in the
correct interpretation of the difficult members of this group. I am preparing
a complete account of the Mollusca collected by the British Great Barrier Reef
Expedition and will go more fully into the details in that place.
Simply following Schilder’s groupings, the Queensland species names will
read as under ; Hedley’s List being followed in the first column : —
Cyprcea annulus Lin ne, 1758
arabica Linne, 1758
argus Linne, 1758
asellus Linne, 1758
caputserpentis Linne, 1758
carneola Linne, 1758
caurica Linne, 1758
clandestina Linne, 1767
cylindrica Born, 1778
eburnea Barnes, 1824
erosa Linne, 1758
errones Linne, 1758
felina Gmelin, 1791
ftmbriata Gmelin, 1791
flaveola Linne, 1758
helvola Linne, 1758
hirundo Linne, 1758
Isabella Linne, 1758
limacina Lam., 1810
lutea Gronov., 1781
lynx Linne, 1758
mauritiana Linne, 1758 . .
miliaris Gmelin, 1791
moneta Linne, 1758
notata Gill, 1858
punctata Linne, 1767
quadrimaculata Gray, 1824
saulce Gaskoin, 1843
sophice Brazier, 1875
subviridis Reeve, 1845 . .
tigris Linne, 1758
valentia Perry, 1811
vitellus Linne, 1758
walked Gray, 1832
xanthodon Gray, 1832
ziczac Linne, 1758
Monetada annulus Linne, 1758
Arabica arabica Linne, 1758
Arestorides argus Linne, 1758
Evenaria asellus Linne, 1758
Ravitrona caputserpentis Linne, 1758
Lyncina carneola Linne, 1758
Erronea caurica Linne, 1758
Palmadusta clandestina Linne, 1767
Palangerosa cylindrica Born, 1778
Erosaria eburnea Barnes, 1 824
Erosaria erosa Linne, 1758
Erronea errones Linne, 1758
Erronea listen Gray, 1824
Erronea ftmbriata Gmelin, 1791
Erosaria flaveola Linne, 1758
Ravitrona helvola Linne, 1758
Evenaria hirundo Linne, 1758
Basili trona Isabella Linne, 1758
Staphylcea limacina Lam., 1810
Palmadusta humphreysii Gray, 1825
Lyncina vanelli Linne, 1758
Mauritia mauritiana Linne, 1758
Erosaria miliaris Gmelin, 1791
Monetaria moneta Linne, 1758
Erronea notata Gill, 1858
Evenaria punctata Linne, 1767
Palangerosa quadrimaculata Gray, 1824
Palmadusta saulce Gaskoin, 1843
Erronea chrysostoma Brazier, 1880
Palmadusta subviridis Reeve, 1845
Cyprcea tigris Linne, 1 758
Leporicyprcea valentia Perry, 1811
Lyncina vitellus Linne, 1758
Palmadusta walked Gray, 1832
Palmadusta xanthodon Gray, 1832
Palmadusta ziczac Linne, 1758
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
S:
To which I have added —
Cyprcea becki Gaskoin, 1836
Paulonaria becki Gaskoin, 1836
Pustular ia cicercula Linne, 1758
Cribraria cribraria Linne, 1758
Evenaria contaminata Sower by, 1832
Cribraria gaskoini Reeve, 1846
Pustular ia globulus Linne, 1758
Naria irrorata Gray, 1828
Leporicypnm mappa Linne, 1758
Erronea microdon Gray, 1828
Nuclear ia nucleus Linne, 1758
Pcilangerosa subcylindrica Sowerby,
cicercula Linne, 1758
cribraria Linne, 1758
contaminata Sowerby, 1832
gaskoini Reeve, 1846
globulus Linne, 1758
irrorata Gray, 1828
mappa Linne, 1758
microdon Gray, 1828
nucleus Linne, 1758
subcylindrica Sowerby, 1870
1870
talpa Linne, 1758
pyriformis Gray, 1824 . .
Talparia talpa Linne, 1758
Palmadusla pyriformis Gray, 1824.
Cyprcea angustata Gmelin, 1791, a Tasmanian species, is rejected.
Many species were added by Shirley which are not acceptable until confirmation
is forthcoming, and it may here be noted that Schilder records a number of species
from “ Sidney ” which would have been better written “ New South Wales.”
The type of Cyprcea must be tigris Linne, not mappa, as used by
Schilder, and the new names I have introduced are here itemised : — Thus
Arestorides is proposed with Cyprcea argus Linne as type, this species being
included in his group Callistocyprcea provided by Schilder for G. aurantium
Martyn, and I cannot see much close relationship between these two. Evenaria
is given to the group, of which I select C. asellus Linne as type, the other
Australian species associated with it being hirundo Linne, punctata Linne, and
contaminata Sowerby, though this group may be remodelled.
For the caputserpentis group I introduce Ravitrona, naming that species
as type, and including helvola Linne. Schilder has correctly rejected caputanguis
Philippi but proposed caputopTiidii for shells from Yokohama and Mauritius,
and suggested the Australian shells regarded as caputanguis might belong to
this species. All the so-called caputanguis I have yet examined appear to be
merely variants of caputserpentis, and there is no need at present to recognise
two species in Australian waters. If later two species can be separated, a new
name will probably be required for the second one. A series of small shells
is included by Schilder under the genus Adusta, which has onyx as type. Our shells
do not correlate well with that extralimital form, and I propose Palmadusta,
naming clandestina L. as type. To this genus I attach the so-called lutea
Gronov. and ziczac Linne, while the series xanthodon Sow., pyriformis Gray,
walkeri Gray will constitute a subgenus Gratiadusta with pyriformis Gray as
type, and subviridis Reeve may be tentatively here included. The cylindrica
group is here named Palangerosa, that species being named as type, the three
representatives being cylindrica Born, subcylindrica Sow., and quadrimaculata
Gray. The genus Stolida, to which Schilder referred them, was nameless as the
83
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSC AN NOT US, No. 3.
name had been used many years before Jousseaurne selected it, a fact Schilder
has since recognised. The beautiful shell isabella ! .ion. was placed by Schilder
under Jousseaumea Sacco, introduced for a European fossil group of no real
relationship, and I separate it under the name Basililrona, naming Isabella as
type. The typical Cyprcea, as mentioned above, must be tigris Lam., so for
the mappa group, wrongly so considered by Schilder, I introduce the new
genus Lepori cyprcea, mappa being named as type, the very rare valentia being
included but only tentatively. The very small “ Cyprreas” will need much more
study before they can be regarded as being well distributed. The curious little
irrorata Gray, allowed as monotypic of Naria, is not unlike the beckii series,
from which it is widely separated by Schilder. 1 introduce Paulonaria with
beckii Gaskoin as type and will work these out better later. Trivia is also well
subdivided by Schilder, and the following comparison of Hedley’s species will
enable us to systematise these better
Trivia globosa Gray, 1832
grando Gaskoin, 1848
pellucida Gaskoin, 1846
producta Gaskoin, 1835 .
scabriuscida Gray, 1828 .
staphylcea Linne, 1758 .
sidcata Gaskoin, 1848
vitrea Gaskoin, 1848
Choir ivia pilvla K inner , 1845
Trivirostra edgari Shaw, 1909
DoUchupis pellucidula Gaskoin, 1846
DoUchupis producta Gaskoin, 1835
Trivirostra scabriuscula Gray, 1828
Staphylcea staphylcea Linne, 1758
Trivirostra sulcata Gaskoin, 1848
Trivirostra vitrea Gaskoin, 1848.
The small globular “ Trivias,” of which there is more than one species
confused, are here separated with the new generic name Gleotrivia , pilvla Kiener
being named as type, globosa being the American species. The forms with
produced extremities, following Schilder, are separated, and the new genus
name DoUchupis proposed, producta Gaskoin being selected as type.
The Linnean species staphylcea was classed by Hedley under Trivia, but it is
a Cyprseoid form, and it is suggested here that limacina Lamarck is probably more
closely allied to erosa than to staphylcea. Again, carneola is given as type of Lyncina
by Schilder, but the apparent type was lynx, and this was fixed by Tryon (Struct.
Syst, Conch., vol. ii, p. 198, 1883), so that 1 introduce the new subgeneric name
Mystaponda. with vilellus Linne as type. I have accepted a few emended specific
names in the foregoing list, but probably many more will need consideration such as
flaveola Linne, for which Hedley has noted hi MS. labiolineata Sower by as being
probably the alternative name, and Schilder has used helence Roberts, 1868. Hedley
also added cumingii to the Queensland list, and this species is referable to Cribraria.
As to Hedley’s felina this name has been replaced by Schilder by listen Gray, and a
new subgeneric name is here proposed for this form. M elicerona, of which a curious
development occurs at North-west Island, having rostrate extremities and somewhat
excavate under surface recalling the New Caledonian aberrations, which hitherto
appear to have been restricted to that island.
An addition to the Queensland list is Cyprcea rhinoceros Souverbie (Journ.
de Conch., vol. xiii, p. 156, 1865), described from New Caledonia, which was also
84
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
collected at North-west, Island. Schilder correctly points out that this is distinct
from interrupta Gray, but falls into a curious error in citing as a synonym coxeni Cox,
a species quite unlike. While Schilder ranges rhinoceros with asellus it is somewhat
aberrant and had better be separated as Blasicrura, and as to coxeni its relationships
seem to be more with errones, but again it would be best to provide it with a new
subgeneric name, Eclogavena, also. By this means, errors such as the above will be
obviated.
Another case of an extralimital species may be noted. Schilder includes
the beautiful guttata Gray under the subgenus Erosaria, but it certainly deserves
separation and I therefore introduce the new generic name Perisserosa for it alone.
Schilder also cites t lie specific name from Gmelin, but, as Gmelin’s first two references
certainly do not refer to this species, it will be more correct to propose a new name,
Perisserosa brocktoni, for the specimen figured by Sowerby (Tlies. Conch., vol. iv, pi.
xvii, ff. 104-105, 1880) under the name Cyprcea guttata Gray. This specimen should
be in the collection of my friend Mr. J. R. le Brockton Tomlin, for whom it is named.
Nivigena melwardi gen. & sp. nov.
(Plate IX, figs. 12, 13.)
Shell small, pyriform, spire depressed, shining bluish white, mouth fairly
narrow. The extremities are a little produced, anteriorly a little pinched, the spire
appearing semi-umbilicate, the edges thickened. The back is fairly convex with
obsolete spiral ridges present ; the outer edge is thickened and recurved with faint
suggestions of crinkling as in Erosaria ; the contraction of the anterior end recalls
that of Stolida, the semiumbilicate spire similar to that of Stolida ; the mouth is
narrow, the teeth fairly large, on the outer lip sixteen deep clear teeth being counted
while on the inner lip fifteen are present which are continued inwards on to the
columella and visible from the outside.
Length 24 mm. ; breadth 16 mm. ; height 12 mm.
Habitat : Queensland. Type from North-west Island, Capricorn Group.
This beautiful species is not an albinism of any known Queensland species,
differing in shape from C. stolida. Linne which otherwise it resembles most, the mouth
easily separating it from that species.
Family OVULID/E.
For this family Schilder uses the name Amphiperatidse, probably correctly,
based on the generic name Amphiperas of Gronow as used by Meuschen in a binomial
sense. The name Amphiperas will then replace Ovula for the two species
listed by Hedley in the Queensland list under the names ovum Linne and tortilis
Martyn. The rejection of Martyn’s names will necessitate reversion to Lamarck’s
costellata (Ann. Mus. Paris, vol xvi, 1810, p. 110) for the latter species. The other
species included by Hedley were obviously not congeneric and I had separated
them many years ago in manuscript, so I was delighted to find that Schilder
had ruthlessly reorganised these species. I do not agree with his rejection of Bolten’s
Volva in favour of the later Radius of Montfort, and therefore use Volva volva for the
85
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSCAN NOTUS, No.
well-known Spindle Shell. The small species hitherto classed under Ovula and Radius
have to be separated and grouped according to their facies and relationship. 1 had
drawn up a scheme before I saw Schilder's classification, which is even more
revolutionary than my own. Schilder separates the subfamily Amphiperatinse
into two tribes (“ supergenera” would be a better name) and, under the European
genus Simnia, proposes a subgenus, Prosimnia, with type semperi Weinkauff, a group
of small elongate species including dentata Adams & Reeve from Australia. As
Adams and Reeve’s choice had been anticipated the new name Prosimnia renovata is
proposed. Reeve’s Ovulum angasi is placed by Schilder under Radius, but seems
more closely allied to Prosimnia and may be there placed at present. This species
was described from Port Curtis and has been collected there by most workers since.
Messrs. Melbourne Ward and W. Boardman recently brought back a nice series
taken from coral dredged in 9-12 fathoms, and these were immediately divided into
two distinct species, the smaller one being the true angasi. The larger one is here
described as Phenacovolva nectar ea nov., and is common as dead shells on the beach
at Caloundra, and is apparently the species recorded by Shirley under the name
Ovulum birostris Lam., and included by Hedley in the New South Wales List under
the name philippinarum Sow. Schilder uses birostris Linn, for the former species,
though Hanley had indicated an error in the traditional usage, and Schumacher s
Radius brevirostris (Essai nouv. Test, 1817, p. 259) may be the valid name for the
birostris of authorities. It may be remarked that Schumacher’s Radius appears
to have been independently proposed.
The small Ovuloid shells Schilder classes under Thiele's genus Primovula,
introduced for a South African species beckeri Sowerby, and introduces a subgenus
Pseudosimnia, naming carnea Poir., a European fossil, as type. As there are two or
three distinct groups confused in Australian waters I introduce the new generic names
Prionovolva and Diminovula for the Australian shells known as breve Sowerby and
punctata Duclos respectively. As Sowerby described his shell from unknown locality
and he had East Australian shells, it may be that his species, which has been continually
credited to Australia, really belongs here. Our shell shows an excellent generic feature
in the curious saw-teeth in the middle of the outer lip ; the strong cutting inside,
the twisted posterior canal, the strong columella plait, and the callus towards the
posterior canal on the body-whorl all distinguish this form from the punctata series
with its strong sculpture ; its globose form with less twisted posterior canal and obsolete
plication indicate its alliance therewith, but this is negatived by the weak crenulation
of the outer lip and lack of body callus : the Australian shell known as punctata
has coarser striation and larger dots placed farther apart, and may be called
Diminovula verepuHMata.
Phenacovolva nectarea gen. & sp. nov-
(Plate IX, fig. 6.)
Belonging to the “ birostris ” series but of different proportions. Shell
elongate, swollen medially, extremities prolonged, mouth linear. Colour pink,
extremities brownish, a narrow white band round the middle. Sculpture consisting
of fine strise showing in the adult on the ends only but covering the immature.
8(5 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
The posterior canal is a little longer than the anterior and narrow ; the anterior
canal is also a little broader ; the mouth is a little more open anteriorly though still
narrow ; the inner lip seen as a very fine glaze only with no posterior nodulation, and
only a very slight swelling anteriorly. The columella shows a faint plication inter-
nally. The outer lip is thickened and rolled back and shows no internal noduling.
Length 38 mm. ; breadth 9-5 mm.
Habitat : Queensland. Type dredged on corals in 9-12 fathoms, Port Curtis.
Prosimnia angasi Reeve is much smaller, stouter, extremities shorter, outer
lip more thickened, and carries a notable swelling medially on the inner lip.
Colus boardmani sp. nov.
(Plate. IX, fig. 7.)
Shell somewhat small for this group but regularly Fusoid in shape. Shell
narrow, last whorl more than half length of shell, spire long, canal very long, mouth
narrow, outer lip thin. Colour white, covered with a thin brownish crinkled
periostracum. Protoconch of one and a-half whorls, a little bulbous, tip planate,
regular sculpture of deep rounded few longitudinal ribs overrun by spiral threads.
These ribs become less pronounced as shell grows older, and only appear as a slight
nodulation on the last whorl ; conversely the threads become more pronounced and
are regular concentric lirse with strong intervening threads on the final whorl. Ten
adult whorls may be counted. The mouth is a rather small oval, inner lip as a thin
glaze, columella smooth, canal very long and straight, sometimes bent with age.
Length 78 mm. ; breadth 31 mm.
Habitat: Queensland. Type dredged in 9-11 fathoms, Port Curtis.
Pleuroploca altimasta sp. nov.
(Plate IX, fig. 9.)
Shell broadly fusiform, spire as long as aperture, body-whorl two-thirds the
length of the shell, mouth oval, canal of medium length, open. Colour brownish
yellow' almost hidden with dark brown, mouth fleshy buff. Sculpture consisting of
spiral threads, more or less obsolete on middle of body-whorl and developed as lirse
on earlier whorls. Longitudinal noduling obsolete though faint indications are
suggested on the juvenile whorls. Last whorl sub-shouldered, lirse more pronounced
near the suture and basally round the canal. Mouth oval, outer lip thick but not
varicose, inside closely lined wth fine entering ridges. Columella with three plica:*
low down, the anterior one much larger than the other two ; inner lip as a thin glaze
only, a short ridge present near posterior angle.
Length 96 mm. ; breadth 36 mm.
Habitat : Queensland. Type from Port Curtis.
This appears to be the coastal representative of the coral living Pleuroploca
filamentosa Bolten.
QUEENSLAND MOLLUSC AN NOTES, No. 2.
Cirsotrema kelea sp. nov.
(Plate IX, fig. 16.)
Shell elegantly conical, strongly varicose, whorls well rounded, sutures deep,
mouth free, umbilicus present but choked by early varix. Colouration white.
Sculpture consists of very fine frilled longitudinal ridges, interstices threaded. Apical
whorls missing, eight adult whorls remaining. On the last whorl, three varices are
present, earlier whorls showing many, but intermediate ones lacking. I he sculpture
on the penultimate whorl shows about forty-five frilled laminae, and as these are
recurved it is difficult to count the encircling threads. The last whorl shows three
strong varices, the middle area being twice either of the other, showing twenty-seven
lamina; against thirteen. At one place the frills are broken off and the spiral threads
appear as thin cords with three or four minor threads between, the whole series
minutely erenulate. Mouth oval, free, the outer varix in the type being strongly
duplicated, very thin and finely wrinkled and recurved. Operculum normal.
Length 24 mm. ; breadth 13 mm.
Habitat : Queensland. Type dredged in 9-12 fathoms, Michaelmas Cay.
For quick reference the new names in this paper are here listed : —
Melaxincea n. gen. with type M. labyrintha n. sp.
Melaxincea labyrintha n. sp.
Macalia bruguieri refecta n. subsp.
Leporimetis n. gen. with type Tellina spectabilis Hanley.
Prophetilora n. gen. with type P. arizela n. sp.
Prophetilora arizela n. sp.
Fallartemis n. gen. with type F. amina n. sp.
Fallartemis amina n. sp.
Semelartemis n. gen. with type S. cetha n. sp.
Semelartemis cetha n. sp.
Coralastele n. gen. with type G. allance n. sp.
Coralastele allance n. sp.
Pseudovertagus excelsior n. sp.
Darioconus n. gen. with type Conus omcvria Bruguiere.
Regiconus n. gen with type Conus auratus Bruguiere. ,
Leporiconus n. gen. with type Conus glans Bruguiere.
Cleobula n. gen. with type Conus figulinus Linne.
Leptoconus ammiralis temnes n. subsp.
Virroconus n. gen. with type Conus ebrceus Linne.
Floraconus n. gen. with type Conus anemone Lamarck.
Cancellaphera n. gen. with type G. amasia n. sp.
Cancellaphera amasia n. sp.
Arestorides n. gen. with type Cyprcea argus Linne.
Evenaria n. gen. with type Cyprcea asellus Linne.
Ravitrona n. gen. with type Cyprcea caputserpentis Linne.
88
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM.
Palmadusta n. gen. with type Cyprcea clandestine i Linne.
Gratiadusta n. subgen. with type Cyprcea pyriformis Gray.
Palangerosa n. gen. with type Cyprcea cylindriea Born.
Bamlitrona n. gen. with type Cyprcea Isabella Linne.
Leporicyprcea n. gen. with type Cyprcea mappa Linne.
Paulonaria n. gen. with type Cyprcea beckii Gaskoin.
Cleotrivia n. gen. with type Cyprcea pilula Kiener.
Dolichupis n. gen. with type Cyprcea producta Gaskoin.
Mystaponda n. subgen. with type Cyprcea vitellus Linne.
MeUcerona n. subgen. with type Cyprcea listen Gray.
Blasicrura n. subgen. with type Cyprcea rhinoceros Sowerbie.
Eclogavena n. subgen. with type Cyprcea coxeni Cox.
Perisserosa n. gen. with type P. brocktoni n. sp.
Perisserosa brocktoni n. sp.
Nivigena n. gen. with type N. melwardi n. sp.
Nivigena melwardi n. sp.
Prosimnia renavata nov.
Phenacovolva n. gen. with type P. nectarea n. sp.
Phenacovolva nectarea n. sp.
Prionovolva n. gen. with type Ovulum breve Sower by.
Diminovula n. gen. with D. verepunctata n. sp.
Diminovula verepunctata n. sp.
Coins board mani n. sp.
Pleuroploca altimasta n. sp.
Cirsotrema keha n. sp.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE IX
Figs. 1, 2. — Melaxincea labyrintha Iredale.
Figs. 3, 4. — Melaxincea labyrintha Iredale. Juvenile.
Fi :. 5. — Coralastele allance Iredale.
Fig. 6. — Phenacovolva nectarea Iredale.
Fig. 7. — -dolus boardmani Iredale.
Fig. 8. Gancellaphera amasia Iredale.
Fig. 9. — Pleuroploca altinto Safer Iredale.
Figs. 10, I I . — Prophetilora arizela Iredale.
Figs. 12, 13. — Nivigena melwardi Iredale.
Figs. 14, 15. — FallaHemU amino Iredale.
Fig. 16. — Cirsotrema kelea Iredale.
Fig. 17. — Pseudovertagus excelsior Iredale.
Fi„. Ig. — Semelartemis cetha Iredale.
Anthony James Cumming, Government Printer, Brisbane.
MEMO] US OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM, Vol. X, Plate IX.
Queensland Mollusca. — Iredale.
Face page 88.
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