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CRASSATELLIDAE |
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Salaputium discus (Hedley, 1907) Description: Shell small, of moderate weight. Shape suborbicular to trapezoidal, umbones forward of midline; angulation from umbo to posterior ventral margin; anterior dorsal margin slightly concave, posterior dorsal margin nearly straight, ventral margin smoothly rounded but “squared off” posteriorly. Lunule relatively large, smooth, escutcheon narrow, poorly defined. Exterior with umbonal area smooth, then 12-18, strong, commarginal, rounded evenly spaced ridges. Interior with muscle scars well defined, pallial line continuous, margin smooth. Hinge strong, crassatellid in form. Ligament internal, below umbo. Shell colour fawn. Periostracum not seen. Size: Up to 9 m in length. Distribution: Off Port Macquarie, NSW, southwards to off Wollongong, NSW. The Australian Museum holds only 5 lots of this species. Habitat: Known from 146-203 m depth. Comparison: This species differs from Salaputium fulvidum by having the posterior end “squared off” and the umbonal area smooth. Fig. 1: Specimens 1 & 2: 22 miles (35 km) east of Narrabeen, NSW, in 146 m. Specimen 3: 16 miles (26 km) east of Wollongong, NSW, in 183 m.
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