Chaetopleura pertusa (Reeve, 1847)

Schwabe, Enrico, 2006, Taxonomic notes on chitons. On some species of Chaetopleura from South Africa (Mollusca: Polyplacophora: Ischnochitonidae), African Invertebrates 47, pp. 23-30 : 24

Chaetopleura pertusa (Reeve, 1847)

Fig. 1

The author received a single dried and partly disarticulated specimen on loan from the BMNH ( BMNH 20010486 ), which is most probably the holotype. The terminal valves and valve ii ( Fig. 1 ) are separate, while the remainder are in situ. The complete specimen measures 25.4 x 14.1 mm, is orange-brown, and fits well with the description of this species given by Kaas and Van Belle (1987: 85, fig. 37). The label, most probably in Philip Pearsall Carpenter’s hand, reads as follow: ‘ Chaetopleura venusta (MS), South Africa M.C.’. Someone has later added: ‘the evidence for this spec. being the holotype is based on it being a Cuming spec. from S. Africa and a comparison with the original illustration. “Simons Bay CGH ” [Cape of Good Hope – E. Schwabe] was added at a later date, but could have been reproduced from original information that has since gone missing’ .

In contrast to the species mentioned hereafter, Chaetopleura pertus a has numerous fine ribs, radially arranged on the terminal valves and the lateral areas, and longitudinally oriented on the central and antemucronal areas. The granules on the ribs are smaller than in C. pustulata ( Krauss, 1848) but more prominent than in C. papilio (Spengler, 1797) .

Figures

Fig. 1. Chaetopleura pertusa (Reeve, 1847), isolated valves of the probable holotype (BMNH 20010486): (A) dorsal view of the head valve, (B) dorsal view of the tail valve, (C) dorsal view of valve ii. Anterior of all valves at top. Scale bar = 2 mm.