Nueva Nucula de las Islas Juan Fernández (Bivalvia Protobranchia)

Abstract

Nucula fernandensis nov. sp. from off the Juan Fernandez Islands (Lat. 33° 35' S; Long. 78° 31' 2" W) is proposed and its shell and soft parts characters are compared with those of the apparently related N. pisum. The new species presents a gastric caecum not previously described within the genus which allows differentiation of several Chilean nuculids and suggests phylogenetic importance. The features of several recent species referred to the "genus" Linucula are not consistent with the diagnosis of this fossil taxon. Therefore, the status of this "genus" or at least the inclusion of recent species in it appears doubtful.