Chama limbula Lamarck, 1819

Raines, Bret & Huber, Markus, 2012, 3217, Zootaxa 3217, pp. 1-106 : 67-69

Chama limbula Lamarck, 1819

Figures 35 A–H

Chama limbula Lamarck, 1819: p. 95 .

Chama limbula Lamarck, 1819 — Lamprell & Whitehead, 1992: pl. 24, figs. 151 a & b; Oliver, 1992: p. 105, pl. 25; Preece, 1995: p. 350; Huber, 2010: p. 283, figs. 10–11; Severns, 2011: p. 466, pl. 213, fig. 2.

Chama iostoma Conrad, 1837 — Rehder, 1980: p. 112; Tröndlé & Boutet, 2009: p. 7.

Pseudochama sp. — DiSalvo et al., 1988: p. 459.

Chama — Luke, 1995: p. 106 & 107. (Lot M 1452 in part)

Material examined. Nearly one hundred single valves (up to 44 mm in length) (BK), including valves collected by the 1957/58 Downwind Expedition ( SIO Benthic Collection, M1437 and M1452), and the ‘ Pseudochama sp. ’ specimen reported by DiSalvo et al. (1988) (BK).

Diagnosis. Shell medium, occasionally oblong, but usually subcircular. The LV is the lower attached valve. Specimens are more often dextral with the umbo pointing anteriorward, but commonly sinistral with the umbo pointing posteriorward. Exterior surface strongly commarginal lamellose, and typically covered by incrustations. Occasionally with a less pronounced dorsal ridge. Hinge strongly curved with broad folds and deep teeth. Color extremely variable from yellowish brown to reddish purple, fresh material is often reddish-purple. Margins smooth, typically darker purplish colored.

Remarks. It appears that Rehder (1980) had the smooth margined C. iostoma Conrad, 1837 , in mind when reporting the species, which is a synonym of Lamarck’s earlier C. limbula (cf., Delsaerdt, 1986). The Pseudochama sp. ( Fig. 35 B) recorded by DiSalvo et al. (1988) is perceived as a worn sinistral C. limbula . Lastly, some of the larger Chama material noted by Luke (1995) from the SIO Benthic Collection, M1437 and M1452 ( Figs. 35 F–H) seems to represent this species as well.

Habitat. Commonly found at many locations around EI and SyG, in sand and rubble, from 10–150 m.

Distribution. Chama limbula is widely distributed from the Rea Sea to the Hawaiian Islands, as well as the Society Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Austral Islands, Pitcairn Islands, Easter and Salas y Gómez Islands. However, it has not been recorded from New Zealand or the Kermadec Islands— E5.