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Nuculites primus
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Although Nuculites has been reported from both the Reefton and Baton River formations by previous researchers, several of the identifications seem to have been uncertain. The specimen shown here survived by chance: it was nearly thrown away during a clean-up. (The moral is clear: check all specimens carefully as small ones like these are eagerly overlooked, and the best are always those that you find by mistake!) It is believed to be a Nuculites, and has provisionally been assigned to the species N. primus but, as with other bivalves, there's a need to find better specimens.
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Further Reading: Spencer, H.G. et al. Mollusca. Chapter 10 in New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity, ed.: D. Gordon. Christchurch: Canterbury University Press, Vol 1. pp 161-254. |