Laevidentalium, Cossmann, 1888

Scarabino, Victor, 2008, New species and new records of scaphopods from New Caledonia, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 196, pp. 215-268 : 244

Laevidentalium (?) sominium Okutani, 1964

Fig. 1q

Laevidentalium sominium - Scarabino 1995: 296. No material cited from New Caledonia.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — New Caledonia proper. BATHUS 2: stn CP 743, Passe de Boulari , 22°36’S, 166°26’E, 713-950 m, 1 dd .

DISTRIBUTION. — Japan and New Caledonia. First record for New Caledonia.

REMARKS. — The best illustration of the holotype (NSMT-Mo 69572, from Sagami Bay, 35°03.6’N, 139°22.4’E, 1320- 1400 m, Japan) was published by Higo et al. (2001: 187, fig. S 26). Scarabino (1995) included it in the genus Rhabdus . However, as I have not been able to study the radula, I here retain it in Laevidentalium with a question mark. On the other hand, based on radular morphology, notably of the rachidians, Steiner (1999: 155) suggested that it should be placed in Episiphon ; however, he did not transfer it, retaining it in Laevidentalium , but it was later transferred by Steiner & Kabat (2004: 645). However, Steiner’s drawing of the radula ( Steiner 1999: fig. 8) calls attention to the similarity of the lateral and marginal teeth to those of Rhabdus perceptum (Scarabino 1995: 298, fig. 102j). Thus, faced with the difficulties of identifying smooth-shelled dentaliid scaphopods, I agree with Steiner’s call for urgent studies of both the radula and other anatomical features to clarify the status of scaphopod families and genera.

Order GADILIDA Starobogatov, 1974

Suborder ENTALIMORPHA Steiner, 1992

Family ENTALINIDAE Chistikov, 1979

Subfamily ENTALININAE Chistikov, 1979