BYTHOCYPRIDIDAE (OSTRACODA) FROM THE MIOCENE OF 
THE PORT PHILLIP AND WESTERN PORT BASINS, VICTORIA 
Mark Thomas Warne 
Department of Geology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052 
Present address: Department of Geology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083 
Warne, M. T., 1990:11:30. Bythocyprididae (Ostracoda) from the Miocene of the Port 
Phillip and Western Port Basins, Victoria. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 
102(2): 105-115. ISSN 0035-9211. 
Six bythocypridid species have been identified from the Lower to Middle Miocene of 
the Port Phillip and Western Port Basins. They are Bythocypris (Bythocypris) subrectangu- 
lata sp. now, Bythocypris (Bythocypris) cf. ajfinis (Brady), B. (B.) sp. A, B. (B.) sp. B, 
Anchistrochelespraebensoni sp. now and Orlovibairdia mooraboolensis sp. nov. In a review 
of the Bythocyprididae, the new subgenus Bythocypris (Bylhotriangularia) and the new 
genus Bythopnssella are named for species occurring outside the Port Phillip and Western 
Port Basins. 
THE BYTHOCYPRIDIDAE is a family of 
ostracods that is well represented in late Tertiary 
rocks of the Port Phillip and Western Port 
Basins, Victoria. In this paper, material of 
bythocypridids recently recovered from the 
Batesford Limestone and from the Fyansford 
and Sherwood Formations is described. A gen¬ 
eral review of the family is integrated within the 
systematic taxonomy and includes the descrip¬ 
tion of a new subgenus and a new genus for 
forms occurring outside the region. The litho- 
stratigraphy of the study area and sample local¬ 
ities are outlined by Warne (1987, 1988, 
1989). 
Within the Port Phillip and Western Port 
Basins, bythocypridids reached their maximum 
abundance during the late Early to early Middle 
Miocene. This abundance is considered to be 
due to the relatively warm aquatic temperatures 
and the wide range of palaeoenvironments that 
existed at that time (Warne, 1987, 1988, 1990). 
These conditions coincided with generally high 
global sea levels (Haq et al. 1987). The maxi¬ 
mum extent of the marine incursion in the Port 
Phillip and Western Port Basins, as indicated by 
Mallett & Holdgate (1985), Carter (1985) and 
Warne (1987), presumably led to greater ranges 
in palaeodepths than at other times in the late 
Tertiary, generating a comparatively large num¬ 
ber of depth- related palaeoecological niches. 
SYSTEMATIC PALAEONTOLOGY 
Type and figured specimens are housed in the 
invertebrate palaeontological collection of the 
Museum of Victoria (NMV PI 22202- 
P122212). Other specimens are housed on 
assemblage slides under the registered numbers 
NMV P122682-P122763. Locality details for 
assemblage slides are recorded in Warne (1989) 
and at the Museum of Victoria. Outcrop samples 
were approximately 0.5 kg. dry weight. The 
abbreviations RV — right valve, LV = left 
valve, L = length, H = height are used through¬ 
out the text. 
Subclass Ostracoda Latreille, 1806 
Order Podocopida G. W. Muller, 1894 
Suborder Podocopa Sars, 1866 
Superfamily Bairdiacea Sars, 1866 
Family Bythocyprididae Maddocks, 1969 
Remarks. Cainozoic Bythocyprididae are here 
distinguished from the Bairdiidae by their 
adductor muscle scar pattern, which usually 
includes four scars when undivided, and by the 
generally compressed nature of their carapace in 
dorsal view. I assign eight Cainozoic genera and 
subgenera to the Bythocyprididae, namely 
Bythocypris (Bythocypris) Brady, 1880, Bythocy¬ 
pris (Bythotriangidaria) subgen. nov., Anchistro¬ 
cheles Brady & Norman, 1889, Bythopussella 
gen. nov., Danipussella Wouters, 1988, Orlovi¬ 
bairdia McKenzie, 1978, Pussella Danielopol in 
Maddocks, 1976 and Zabythocypris Maddocks, 
1969. Danielopol (1976), Maddocks (1976) and 
Wouters (1988) arranged some of these genera 
into the subfamilies Bythocypridinae Mad¬ 
docks, 1969 and Pussellinae Danielopol, 1976, 
mainly on the basis of differences in the shape of 
the brushlike organ and the number of limb bris¬ 
tles. 
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