362 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NA TIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxvi. 



Genus PAPHIA Bolten, 1798. 

 Type, P. alapapilionis Bolten (= Venus rotundata (part) Gmelin, 



not Liunteus). 



Cardinals, three in each valve; the anterior right and posterior 

 left cardinals entire, the others often bifid. 



Subgenus Paphia s. s. 



Valves elongate-oval, subcompressed, with close concentric riblets > 

 covered by a^vernicose periostracum and without radial sculpture; ] 

 coloration brilliant; escutcheon and lunule narrow, smooth, impressed, \ 

 the lunule unequally divided, the right portion encroaching on the j 

 loft- innoi- margins smooth; the pallial sinus free, ample, rounded in i 

 fi'ont, ol)liquely ascending. _ I 



The species are of warm temperate and tropical seas in the eastern l 

 hemisphere, and are reported from the Tertiaries of South Europe 

 since the Eocene. Eiitapes Chiamenti, 1900, and CaMistotapes Sacco, .? 

 1900, are synonymous. 



Section 'Bim>da Stoliczka, 1871. Type, Venus fnujiUs D'Orbigny. ; 

 Cretaceous. 



Valves elongate, thin, with purely concentric sculpture; the poste- 

 rior cardinals elongated, sometimes grooved, the others simple; pallial i 

 sinus ample, horizontal, rounded in front; margins entire. 



This group appears to be the Mesozoic precursor of Paphia. The 

 Tertiary Taiirotapes craveri (Michelbtti) Sacco, seems hardly distinct i 

 from Baroda. 



Section Icanotia Stoliczka, 1871. Type PsammoUa impar Zittel, 



Gosau. 



This is stated to differ from Baroda only by the presence of more ^ 



or less radial sculpture. 



Section raratapes Stoliczka, 1871. Typo, Venus textile Gmelin. 



Valves elongate, turgid, smooth or feebly concentrically sculptured; 

 lunule circumscribed, narrow; escutcheon undefined; middle cardinals 

 bifid as in PajMa; inner margins^ entire; pallial sinus obliquely 

 ascending, small, squarish anteriorly. 



This is Te^drix Romer, 1857, not Sundeval, 1833. 



Section Proiapes Dall, 1902. Type, Venus gaUus Gmelin (+ V. 

 inalaharica Dillwyn). 



Valves trigonal, closely concentrically ribbed, with no radial sculp- 

 ture; a vernicose periostracum; a large elongate impressed lunule, no 

 differentiated escutcheon; smooth inner margins; an ample, obliquely 

 ascending pallial sinus, rounded in front; the two anterior and the 

 left posterior cardinals entire, the others bifid; all the teeth short and 

 concentrated. 



This is Pullastra Chenu, 1862, not Sowerby,.1826. 



Subgenus Tapes Megerle, 1811. T'ype, Ve^ms literata Linnseus. 



