Parvamussium scitulum (E.A. Smith, 1885 )

Raines, Bret & Huber, Markus, 2012, 3217, Zootaxa 3217, pp. 1-106 : 33

Parvamussium scitulum (E.A. Smith, 1885)

Figures 16 A–E

Amussium scitulum E.A. Smith, 1885: p. 312 , pl. 23, figs. 4 A–B.

Parvamussium scitulum (E.A. Smith, 1885) — Okutani, 2000: p. 913, pl. 454, fig. 7; Raines, 2002: p. 32, fig. 36; Dijkstra & Maestrati, 2008: p. 94 ; Dijkstra & Maestrati, 2010: p. 339 ; Huber, 2010: p. 224.

Material examined. Several articulated specimens and over one hundred single valves from EI (BK), plus specimens from New Guinea (BK), Fiji (BK), the Philippines ( MHU) and Okinawa (BK).

Diagnosis. Shell small, thin and flattish; valves unequal, with the RV smaller than LV. Exterior surface sometimes with irregular sculpture or radiating ridges and commarginal growth striae. Interior of both valves with 7–11 internal ribs. Auricles subequal. Color of LV cream with white or yellow-brown maculations; RV cream colored.

Remarks. Although the EI specimens are somewhat smaller, they conform well to P. scitulum from Okinawa, Japan and New Guinea.

Habitat. Commonly found at many locations around EI, in sand and rubble, from 50–150 m.

Distribution. Parvamussium scitulum is a widely distributed species, which is known from New Guinea to Japan, including the Philippines, Indonesia, New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands, Fiji, Tonga and Easter Island. However, it has not been recorded from the Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand or the Kermadec Islands— E4.