Magasella sanguinea (Leach, 1814) and Magasella haurakiensis (Allan, 1931): resolving the taxonomic placement of these endemic New Zealand brachiopods using morphological and molecular traits. Issue 2 (2nd April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Robinson, JH; Donald, KM; Brandt, AJ; Lee, DE
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Volume 46:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 139
• Page End: 163
• Publication Date: 2016-04-02
• Subjects: Cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) -- endemic brachiopods -- Magasella -- New Zealand -- Terebratella; Science -- Periodicals; 505
• DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2016.1182930
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0303-6758

Abstract

ABSTRACT: There are currently two medium-large, closely related, endemic New Zealand terebratulide brachiopod species assigned to the Southern Hemisphere genus Terebratella d'Orbigny, 1847. However, recently published molecular analyses reveal that the New Zealand Terebratella are only distantly related to southern South American Terebratella, which contains the type species dorsata, and the New Zealand species must be transferred to another genus. Examination of the convoluted taxonomic history of the species originally described as Terebratula sanguinea by Leach (Leach WE. 1814. The Zoological Miscellany. Volume 1 and Atlas. London: McMillan; p. 144) reveals that only one of several existing generic names, Magasella Dall, 1870, is valid and available. In addition, uncertainty persists concerning whether the two observed morphotypes of Magasella (' sanguinea ' and ' haurakiensis ') are truly separate species or two forms of a single morphologically variable species. A statistical analysis of the morphological parameters of several hundred specimens was performed with inconclusive results. However, cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) analyses of the two forms of New Zealand Magasella have shown that they can be accepted as separate species: M. sanguinea (Leach, 1814) and M. haurakiensis (Allan, 1931). The two species can be distinguished by their shape, ribbing and colour: M. sanguinea is usually wider than long, strongly ribbed and coloured shades of red while M. haurakiensis is usually longer than wide, faintly ribbed to smooth and coloured pink to orange.