V E N E R U P I S. 



Genus, VENERUPIS, Lamarck. 



Tt'sta valde irregularis, iiutqiiilateralis, cBquivalvia, 

 oblonga, plerumque coricentrice laminata, radiatim 

 striata, anlice paidu hians. Impressiones nius- 

 culares duce, majnai, renifonnefs. Impressio pallii 

 postice late et profundi' sinuala. Vardo in vidvd 

 dextrd tridentatd, m valvd sini.slrii bidcntatd. Liijn- 

 mentum externum. 



Shell very irregular, inequilateral, oqviivalve, oblong, 

 generally concentrically laminatetl, radiately 

 striated, anteriorly a little gaping. Muscular 

 impressions two, large, kidney-shaped. Palleal 

 impression posteriorly and deeply sinuous. Hinge 

 tridentate in right valve, and bidentate in the 

 left. Ligament external. 

 Spi. Iiu-s, 0km. EumcLLAiiiA, Fl. de Bellevue. ; 



The sliells of this genus are found in holes and 

 crevices of rocks, where they are fixed by a byssus 

 passing between the gaping valves. It is rather difficult 

 to distinguish some of the species from the more irregu- 

 lar rock-inhabiting Tapes on the one hand, and the more 

 Tapes-like Petricols on the other. The concentric 

 lamina, however, are the more prominent in this genus ; 

 whereas the reverse is the case in the Petricolie, and 

 tlie posterior side is generally truncated, and does not 

 tend to end in a point. The Venerupes are more 

 numerous in northern and temperate climates; many 

 species are European, being found in Scandinavia and 

 the British Islands. There are, however, some species 

 in Australia, and some in the Pliilippines. 



Species I. (Mus. Brit.) 



V'enerupis Cokdieri. Tin. testd ohlonfjd, in/Iatd, sub- 



ci/lindricd, laminis concentricis crassis, puslicc 



latiorihus, inflexis exfoliatd ; latere antico brcvi, 



dedivi, infrd, subaciiminato ; umbonibus acinninatis, 



fubtcrmiiKdihiis .- httire posiico elovgafo, obliqui 

 (iiiijiihihi : iiiiinjiiic diirsali rectiusculo, munjine tcr- 

 m;n,di /,n-i„ndicul.,ri. 



CoRDiEit's Veneuupis. Shell oblong, inflated, rather 

 cylindrical, exfoliated with concentric, thick 

 lamina;, wider and inflected posteriorly ; anterior 

 side short, sloped, a little acuminated below; 

 posterior side elongated, obliquely angular ; dorsal 

 margin rather straiglit, terminal margin perpen- 

 dicular. 



Deshayes. Revue Zeologique, 1839. 



Hub. Cidifornia. 



Species 2. (Fig. a, h, Mus. Brit.) 



Venerupis ixsionis. Yen. testd injlatd, irrcgulari 

 radiatim striata, aiiraniid, coeruleo purpureoque 

 nebulatd, intits rubro-violaced ; latere antico brevis- 

 simo ; umbom'bus fere tenninalibus ; latere postico 

 prorlucto, obliqiit' luniido, manjine terminali svperne 

 dedivi. 



The woNDERFi-L Venerupis. Shell inflated, irregular 

 radiately striated, orange, clouded with blue and 

 piu-ple, red-violet within; anterior side very 

 short ; umboes nearly terminal ; posterior side 

 produced, obliquely tumid, terminal margin 

 sloped above. 



Deshayes. Proc. Zool. Soc, 1853. 



Hab. New Zealand. 



Of' 



colour and very irregular growth. 



Species 3. (Mus. Brit.) 

 Venei:i:pis CREn-ata. Vcn. tt:<td ohlongo-subqvadratd, 

 postice oblique angulatd, aurantio purpureoque 

 nebulatd, radiatim striatd, cnncentrice laminis extan- 

 tibus, cremdatis. piostice latioribus exfoliatd; latere 

 antico brevi, vmbonibus tumidis, subterminalibus ; 

 latere postico elongate, margine rectangnlari. 



November, 1874. 



