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Taxonomy
Family:
MESODESMATIDAE
Full Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum)
> Bivalvia (Class)
> Autobranchia (Subclass)
> Heteroconchia (Infraclass)
> Euhetrodonta (Subterclass)
> Imparidentia (Superorder)
> Venerida (Order)
> Mactroidea (Superfamily)
> Mesodesmatidae (Family)
> Paphies (Genus)
> subtriangulata (Species)
Genus Synonyms:
=Amesodesma Iredale, 1930
=Amphidesma (Paphies) Lesson, 1831
=Amphidesma (Taria) A. Adams, 1853
=Machaena Gray, 1843
=Paphies (Paphies) Lesson, 1831
=Paphies (Taria) Gray, 1853
=Taria Gray, 1853
Synonymised Names:
=Amphidesma (Taria) porrectum Marwick, 1928
=Amphidesma subtriangulata (W. Wood, 1828)
=Amphidesma subtriangulata cookianum Dawson, 1959
=Erycina subangulata Gray, 1825
=Mactra subtriangulata W. Wood, 1828
=Mesodesma reentsii Römer, 1862
=Mesodesma spissa Reeve, 1854
=Paphies (Taria) subtriangulata (W. Wood, 1828)
=Paphies porrecta (Marwick, 1928)
=Paphies subtriangulata porrecta (Marwick, 1928)
Images: Paphies subtriangulata (W. Wood, 1828)
Common Tuatua, on coastal sandy beaches. 64mm
Common Tuatua, on coastal sandy beaches. 64mm
Taxonomy
Family:
MESODESMATIDAE
Full Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum)
> Bivalvia (Class)
> Autobranchia (Subclass)
> Heteroconchia (Infraclass)
> Euhetrodonta (Subterclass)
> Imparidentia (Superorder)
> Venerida (Order)
> Mactroidea (Superfamily)
> Mesodesmatidae (Family)
> Paphies (Genus)
> subtriangulata (Species)
Genus Synonyms:
=Amesodesma Iredale, 1930
=Amphidesma (Paphies) Lesson, 1831
=Amphidesma (Taria) A. Adams, 1853
=Machaena Gray, 1843
=Paphies (Paphies) Lesson, 1831
=Paphies (Taria) Gray, 1853
=Taria Gray, 1853
Synonymised Names:
=Amphidesma (Taria) porrectum Marwick, 1928
=Amphidesma subtriangulata (W. Wood, 1828)
=Amphidesma subtriangulata cookianum Dawson, 1959
=Erycina subangulata Gray, 1825
=Mactra subtriangulata W. Wood, 1828
=Mesodesma reentsii Römer, 1862
=Mesodesma spissa Reeve, 1854
=Paphies (Taria) subtriangulata (W. Wood, 1828)
=Paphies porrecta (Marwick, 1928)
=Paphies subtriangulata porrecta (Marwick, 1928)
Details: Paphies subtriangulata (W. Wood, 1828)
Size/Grows to:
Length 98mm, Height 69mm
Distribution:
North, South, Stewart, Auckland and Chatham Islands. Low tide level to a few metres
Geographical Range:
ACFMAn
Notes:
Tuatua, Marine, Native - Endemic
Distribution Map
 
References and Publications
  • Stace, G. Oct/1996 An overview of the Genus Paphies in New Zealand Fossil Records, Poirieria, 19 (p.10)
  • Smith, P.J., MacArthur, G.J., Michael, K.P. 1989 Regional variation in electromorph frequencies in the tuatua, Paphies subtriangulata, around New Zealand, New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 23 (p.31)
  • Jamieson, P.R. May/1987 Even well known species need name changes, Poirieria, 15(3) (p.10)
  • Powell, A.W.B. 1979 New Zealand Mollusca: Marine, Land and Freshwater Shells, Collins, Auckland (p.416)

Key to Geographical Ranges
NZ Map showing Geographical Ranges
The symbols K.A.C.F.M.An. are used to indicate the geographical range of the species. They have been adopted to give an approximation of the range of each species within New Zealand.
K=
Kermadec Islands
A=
Aupourian - Kaipara Harbour, north around North Cape, encompassing the Three Kings Islands and south to East Cape
C=
Cookian - Lower North Island and the northern part of the South Island
F=
Forsterian - Otago, Fiordland and Stewart Island
M=
Moriorian - Chatham Islands, Pitt Island
An=
Antipodean - Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand
Fw =
Freshwater
L =
Land
N =
North Island
S =
South Island
R =
Recent
Sf =
Subfossil
Fo =
Fossil
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