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New species of Thyasira, Mendicula, and Axinulus (Bivalvia, Thyasiroidea) from Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters

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Abstract

Three new thyasirid species from the Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters are described: Thyasira patagonica, Mendicula sudamericana, and Axinulus antarcticus. T. patagonica is characterized by its strong commarginal sculpture, shell as height as length or higher than long, posterior auricle delimited by a deep submarginal sulcus, and a long and sloping straight anterior half of dorsal margin. M. sudamericana distinguished by its longer than high shell outline, elongated tooth-like enlargement anterior to beak, gills with only one demibranch at each side, and foot with a marked heel. A. antarcticus has a minute, subquadrate shell, hinge with a small swelling anterior to beak, gills with a single demibranch, and the lateral body pouch elongated and almost smooth. The present study provides the first reliable record of thyasirids, with a single demibranch from the Southern Ocean. Moreover, characters for a better definition of Mendicula are provided.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to express his gratitude to E. Coan, P. Valentich-Scott, and P. Mikkelsen for his valuable comments and suggestions; D. Reid and P. Valentich-Scott for kindly helping to obtain some specific literature; T. Nikens, B. Hausdorf, and K. Schnabel for sending specimens from their museum collections; K. Way, A.MacLellan, M. Glaubrecht, T. von Rintelen, P. Bouchet, P. Maestrati, and V. Heros for the facilities provided during my visits to The Natural History Museum (NHM), Museum für Naturkunde (ZMB), and Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN); M. A. Szereszowiez and Y. Kantor for translating of Kamenev and Nadtochy’s (2000) paper; and A. Baldinger for the information on the material reported by Clarke. C. Ituarte, as always, provided valuable criticisms and improved my writing style. This study was partially founded by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Técnica (PICT 282-2006), and a student grant from the Western Society of Malacologists, the Santa Barbara Malacological Society, the Southwest Shell Club, the San Diego Shell Club and the Northern California Malacological Club. The visits to the NHM and ZMB were possible thanks to a Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) grant. The author is member of the CONICET, Argentina.

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Correspondence to Diego Gabriel Zelaya.

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This contribution is dedicated to the memory of Marta Angélica Szereszowiez (1945–2009).

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Zelaya, D.G. New species of Thyasira, Mendicula, and Axinulus (Bivalvia, Thyasiroidea) from Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters. Polar Biol 33, 607–616 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-009-0736-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-009-0736-9

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