Funafutia levukana (E.A. Smith, 1885 )

Raines, Bret & Huber, Markus, 2012, 3217, Zootaxa 3217, pp. 1-106 : 50

Funafutia levukana (E.A. Smith, 1885)

Figures 24 E–G

Lucina levukana E.A. Smith, 1885: p. 181 , pl. 13, fig. 6.

Funafutia levukana (E.A. Smith, 1885) — Glover & Taylor, 2001: p. 286, figs. 22 A-D; Tröndlé & Boutet, 2009: p. 8.

Material examined. More than fifty single valves from EI and SyG (BK), plus specimens from the Marquesas Islands ( MHU).

Diagnosis. Shell small (up to 6 mm in length), suborbicular, equivalve, inequilateral, not fragile. Umbones elevated. Exterior surface of irregularly spaced prominent, rounded commarginal lamellae, microscopic radials. Interior smooth with continuous pallial line; margins finely crenulate. Hinge stout, consisting of two cardinals in the LV, and one cardinal in the RV with prominent posterior and anterior laterals. Color white.

Remarks. The oblique shape, lamellate sculpture with microscopic radials, the crenulated margin and the hinge configuration closely approach the type species Funafutia levukana (E.A. Smith 1885) . Species within the genus Levukana are typically known from shallow water to 40 m, with a size of 6 mm. The EI species is known from 20–100 m, also from caves in 35–40 m (Motu Tantara) with a maximum size of 5 mm.

Although the EI material has a somewhat denser commarginal sculpture with weaker radials and a slightly less pronounced anterior lateral in the LV, J. Taylor, (pers. comm., 2010) confirmed the specimens to be within the normal variability of F. levukana . Sizes and depths are comparable. Most likely, this species conforms to Kay (1995: 155) Lucina species from Easter Island.

Habitat. Commonly found at many locations around EI and SyG, in fine sand, from 20–100 m.

Distribution. Funafutia levukana is known from eastern Africa to the Marquesas Islands, but has not been recorded from the Hawaiian Islands. The presence of this species on Easter and Salas y Gómez Islands represents a range extension— E4.