Pfeifferia cressida Hutton, 1883

Pl. 2, fig. F

Hutton, 1883. New Zealand Journal of Science, 1: 476.

Type material. In Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, according to Suter (1913: 650), overlooked and reported as missing by Freeman et al. (1997: 36), but one damaged specimen rediscovered in 2017. Lectotype (designated here), CMNZ M231 (dry shell). The molluscan collection at CMNZ has radula fragments mounted on a glass slide with the label details ‘ Pyrrha cressida, Southland, XVI p. 178’, in Hutton’s handwriting (i.e., CMNZ 2017.17.52), which is probably primary type material (see description of radula and jaw by Hutton 1884b: 178).

CMNZ molluscan catalogue details. M231—‘ Pyrrha cressida Hutton, Southland (1 specimen) (old No. 51) ’.

Type locality. ‘Waiau, Southland (G. M. Thomson)’ (Hutton 1883g: 476, 1884b: 178).

Previous illustrations of type material. Jaw and radula teeth illustrated by Hutton (1884b: pl. 9, fig. X, pl. 11, fig. N) probably from type material; Pilsbry (1893 [in 1893–1895]: 346, pl. 3, figs. 17–19—‘ Type. Suter, del.’).

Remarks. Hutton submitted a description of Pfeifferia (?) cressida to the Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute issue for 1883, but publication was delayed until May 1884 (Hutton 1884b: 178), and was pre-empted by his brief description of Pfeiffera [sic] (?) cressida in an account of a meeting of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury (Hutton 1883g: 476). Pfeifferia cressida Hutton, 1883 is the type species of Pyrrha Hutton, 1883 (non Cabanis 1849), by original designation, and of the replacement genus name Thermia Hutton, 1904, by designation of Hutton (1883i: 532) (see ICZN Article 67.8).

Current taxonomy. Thermia cressida (Hutton, 1883) — Suter (1913: 649), Powell (1979: 316), Spencer et al. (2009: 216).

Distribution. New Zealand; previously interpreted as having a wide distribution in the southern and western South Island, and on Stewart Island (e.g., Suter 1913: 650; Powell 1979: 316; Spencer & Willan 1996: 41), but preliminary results of a phylogenetic study (M. Kennedy unpub. data) indicate that this refers to a species complex, and the identity and distribution of Hutton’s species need to be re-evaluated.