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Fam. SCAPHANDRIDAE. 



Meloscaphander n. gen. 



Shell ovate, convex in its upper part, attenuated below, with low, exserted spire ; aperture 

 shorter than the shell, large ; columella moderately curved, thick. Sculpture consisting of spiral 

 rows of pits. Type: M. Sibogae Schepm. 



This shell has the sculpture, but not the shape of Scaphander^ which is on the contrary 

 narrower above than below and has a sunken spire. 



I. Meloscaphander Sibogae n. sp. PI. XXXI, fig. 5 — 9. 



Stat. 221. 6° 24' S., 124° 39' E. Banda-sea. 2798 M. Solid bluish grey mud with foraminifera. 

 I Spec. 



Shell ovate, broadest in its upper half, obliquely attenuate below, rather strong, yellowish 

 under a brown epidermis. Whorls 3^2, forming a short spire, slightly eroded, separated by a 

 deep suture, probably a little convex, but the characters of upper whorls are obliterated 

 by erosion ; last whorl large, strongly rounded in its upper part, more straightish in its 

 median part, narrower below. Sculpture consisting of spiral lirae in upper part, (about 16 in 

 number), which are often double and are crossed by riblets, giving a cancellated appearance 

 to that upper part ; lower on the lirae disappear and have the character of a smooth 

 surface, with about 60 spiral rows of rounded pits, the basal part again with a few (about 5) 

 lirae. Some of the spiral rows of median zone are very fine, the majority is rather coarse. 

 Aperture pear-shaped, with a rather acute angle above, becoming soon broader, much so 

 below, slightly compressed at the base; peristome rather thin, regularly curved, though more 

 above and below, than in median part; body-whorl with a conspicuous layer of enamel on its 

 moderately convex columellar side. Columella concave, thick, not angular below, thickly 

 reflected and quite covering the umbilical region. 



Alt. 16, lat. 10Y3; apert. alt. 15, lat. 6^^ Mill. 



Of the three gizzard plates, two are large, subquadrate, with strongly rounded angles, 

 rather thick, calcareous, broadly rounded at the largest extremity, where they are yellowish- 

 white and thinner, one of them nearly straight at the opposite margin, where it is dark brown 

 and thick, lateral sides slightly undulated; the other plate has the front- and backsides more 

 rounded, but otherwise it is similar; the interior of these plates is convex, with a nearly smooth, 

 subcircular centre and a broad, concentically striated margin, exteriorly these plates are concave 

 in their broadest part. The third plate is much narrower, elongate, strongly compressed, brown 

 with darker growth-striae, and has much the appearance of a gaping, equal-sided Unio pictorum. 

 Length of largest plates about 4Y2, their greatest breadth /^\^, narrowest part -^l^ Mill., smallest 

 plate, long 3^2, high 17, Mill. 



The radula has given only a poor result; as the soft parts seemed to be decayed, I 

 obtained only a few separate lateral teeth, I could find no median ones, probably they were 

 lost, as, according to Bergh, is often the case; one of the laterals (i), in a favorable position, 



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