Philine tepikia
Rudman, 1970

Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Family: Philinidae

DISTRIBUTION

Fossil species known from the Castlecliffian Stage, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. [approx 1 - 0.5 million years ago].

PHOTO

Holotype. Fossil shell from Landguard Bluff, Wanganui. Age Castlecliffian Stage. 16 Feb 1945. N.Z.G.S 4003. Shell dimensions: 29.5 x 22 mm. Photo: G.W.Batt.

Shell white, having rounded basal lip. Inner lip and inner whorls occupying upper left quarter of shell. Spire lightly sunken and the sunken pit is sculptured with deep spiral ridges. Growth lines irregular but often very distinct, forming transverse ridges across outer surface of the shell. Irregularly and widely spaced, deep spiral grooves present on upper half of body whorl.

I do not plan to include an extensive collection of fossil opisthobranch shells on the Forum. I include this as an example of the many fossil opisthobranch shells found worldwide. Whie many, such as this species, can be easily related to living relatives, the lack of animal parts means that in many cases the relationships of fossils to modern species is very difficult, if not impossible to determine.

  • Rudman, W.B. (1970) A revision of the genus Philine in New Zealand with descriptions of two new species (Gastropoda Opisthobranchia). Journal of the Malacological Society of Australia, 2(1): 23-34.
Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2010 (June 4) Philine tepikia Rudman, 1970. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/philtepi