Novocrania Lee & Brunton, 2001

Bitner, Maria Aleksandra & Logan, Alan, 2016, Recent Brachiopoda from the Mozambique-Madagascar area, western Indian Ocean, Zoosystema 38 (1), pp. 5-41 : 8

Genus Novocrania Lee & Brunton, 2001

TYPE SPECIES. — Patella anomala Müller, 1776 , by original designation of Lee & Brunton (1986: 150).

Novocrania roseoradiata ( Jackson, 1952) ( Fig. 2B, C )

Crania roseoradiata Jackson, 1952: 7-9 , pl. 1, figs 1-4.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — South Madagascar. ATIMO VATAE, stn TS09, 1 dorsal valve.

DEPTH RANGE. — 5- 6 m.

REMARKS

The investigated specimen collected off southern Madagascar corresponds well with the species Crania roseoradiata described by Jackson (1952) from South Africa. The shell is small, circular, with a low, subcentral apex. The muscle scars are well marked ( Fig. 2C ). The posterior adductor muscle scars are large, rounded, and widely separated, while the anterior muscle scars are elevated and kidney-shaped. In the anterior half of the shell impressions of branching mantle canals are observed.

In the character of the muscle scars this species shows similarity with Novocrania anomala (Müller, 1776) from the Mediterranean and northern Atlantic ( Logan & Long 2001). Emig (2014) regards N. anomala and N. turbinata (Poli, 1796) as synonyms, based mainly on molecular analyses (see Cohen et al. 2014). Jackson (1952: 9) advocated a revision of the two forms, which Emig (2014) has now done.

Figures

FIG. 2. — A, Discradisca sp., South Madagascar, Bay of Galions, ATIMO VATAE, stn TP03, 17-21 m, dorsal view of complete specimen (IB-2013-28). B, C, Novocrania roseoradiata (Jackson, 1952), outer and inner views of dorsal valve (IB-2013-29), South Madagascar, S. Bay of Lokaro, ATIMO VATAE, stn TS09, 5-6 m. D-H, Novocrania sp., Mozambique Channel, Almirante Leite Bank, MAINBAZA, stn CC 3167, 228-230 m, dorsal valves (IB-2013-30-31); D, E, outer and inner views; F-H, inner view, and enlargement of posterior part to show muscle scars (G) and margin (H). A, D-H, SEM. Scale bars: A, 1 mm; B-G, 2 mm; H, 200 µm.