Cenozoic and recent rhynchonellide brachiopods of New Zealand, with an account of the Eocene and Paleocene brachiopod faunas.
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This dissertation reviews the taxonomic status, stratigraphic and geographic distributions of the Cenozoic and Recent rhynchonellide brachiopods of New Zealand and describes their morphological variation and ecology (Part I). This is followed by a general account of the systematics, distribution, and paleoecological and biogeographic significance of the Paleocene-Early Oligocene brachiopod faunas of which the rhynchonellides form an integral part (Part II).
A single species of the endemic genus Aetheia, A. gualteri, occurs in a variety of sediments ranging in age from Mid Eocene to Early Miocene. This smooth, trigonal, probably free-living brachiopod inhabited a shallow shelf environment and specimens were often bored by gastropods and sponges, and encrusted by tubeworms and bryozoans.
The black ribbed Notosaria nigricans is widely distributed in New Zealand shelf waters especially on rocky or shelly substrates from intertidal depths to about 200 m. A new subspecies, N. n. reinga is recognised from deeper water (80-800 m) off northern New Zealand. N. nigricans has a long, nearly continuous fossil record extending to the Mid Miocene. A close relative, the spinose N. antipoda, formerly placed in the genus Tegulorhynchia, ranged from the Early Oligocene to Early Miocene. N. nigricans forms part of a characteristic hard-bottom community dominated by sessile filter-feeders such as other brachiopods, bivalves, barnacles, bryozoans, sponges, ascidians and tubeworms.
Adult brachiopod shells are often asymmetric or deformed due to the crowded mode of life, are extensively covered with epifaunal organisms including conspecific and other brachiopods, and the normal population structure comprises all size ranges from juvenile to adult.
The costellate, usually spinose genus, Tegulorhynchia, was represented in New Zealand by the type species T. squamosa (syn. T. depressa and T. masoni) from the Paleocene to Early Miocene-, and by T. sublaevis in the Oligocene. A single species, T. doederleini, lives today in Indo-Pacific waters. Two species, T. aoeZata and T. thomsoni from the Oligocene-Miocene of Australia are described. A further species, T. imbriaata, occurs in the Oligocene of Antarctica.
Two rhynchonellide genera new to New Zealand are reported. The semicostate Probozarina ahathamensis n.sp. is widespread in Paleocene-Eocene limestones and calcareous tuffs on the Chatham Islands. A few specimens of a related smooth rhynchonellide with a twisted commissure from a Mid Miocene horizon in Taranaki are placed in the genus Streptaria.
Aetheia, Tegulorhynahia and Probolarina are important components of the rich Paleocene-Early Oligocene brachiopod faunas of New Zealand. At least 14 genera and 20 species including several new species, Crania waiareka, Argyrotheca oamarutica and ?TerebrateZla rekohu, are described and figured, many for the first time. A number of mainland genera, notably Lingula, TeguZorhynchia, Argyrotheca and Thecidellina, are recorded from Paleocene-Eocene localities, mostly new, on Chatham and Pitt Islands. The stratigraphic and geographic ranges of virtually all other species, especially those of Late Eocene-Early Oligocene age from the Oamaru region are extended.
Most of the brachiopods occur in bioclastic limestones, calcareous tuffs, or greensands, usually in company with large numbers of other sessile filter-feeders which require a hard substrate and relatively shallow clear shelf conditions with little or no terrigenous sedimentation. The brachiopods represent several different life habits - the inarticulate Lingula burrowed in interto subtidal fine sandy sediment; the other inarticulate, Crania, and the minute Thecidellina, were cemented to hard microsubstrates such as cobbles or bryozoan colonies; Aetheia and Stethothyris were probably free-living; Terebratulina may have anchored its pedicle to sediment particles; and the remainder were attached to hard substrates.
Many of the brachiopods, especially Lingula, Argyrotheca, Campages and Thecidellina, are indicative of sub-tropical to tropical sea temperatures, and their presence in Paleogene rocks in New Zealand and elsewhere supports the hypothesis of warm global temperatures in the Early Cenozoic.
A single species of the endemic genus Aetheia, A. gualteri, occurs in a variety of sediments ranging in age from Mid Eocene to Early Miocene. This smooth, trigonal, probably free-living brachiopod inhabited a shallow shelf environment and specimens were often bored by gastropods and sponges, and encrusted by tubeworms and bryozoans.
The black ribbed Notosaria nigricans is widely distributed in New Zealand shelf waters especially on rocky or shelly substrates from intertidal depths to about 200 m. A new subspecies, N. n. reinga is recognised from deeper water (80-800 m) off northern New Zealand. N. nigricans has a long, nearly continuous fossil record extending to the Mid Miocene. A close relative, the spinose N. antipoda, formerly placed in the genus Tegulorhynchia, ranged from the Early Oligocene to Early Miocene. N. nigricans forms part of a characteristic hard-bottom community dominated by sessile filter-feeders such as other brachiopods, bivalves, barnacles, bryozoans, sponges, ascidians and tubeworms.
Adult brachiopod shells are often asymmetric or deformed due to the crowded mode of life, are extensively covered with epifaunal organisms including conspecific and other brachiopods, and the normal population structure comprises all size ranges from juvenile to adult.
The costellate, usually spinose genus, Tegulorhynchia, was represented in New Zealand by the type species T. squamosa (syn. T. depressa and T. masoni) from the Paleocene to Early Miocene-, and by T. sublaevis in the Oligocene. A single species, T. doederleini, lives today in Indo-Pacific waters. Two species, T. aoeZata and T. thomsoni from the Oligocene-Miocene of Australia are described. A further species, T. imbriaata, occurs in the Oligocene of Antarctica.
Two rhynchonellide genera new to New Zealand are reported. The semicostate Probozarina ahathamensis n.sp. is widespread in Paleocene-Eocene limestones and calcareous tuffs on the Chatham Islands. A few specimens of a related smooth rhynchonellide with a twisted commissure from a Mid Miocene horizon in Taranaki are placed in the genus Streptaria.
Aetheia, Tegulorhynahia and Probolarina are important components of the rich Paleocene-Early Oligocene brachiopod faunas of New Zealand. At least 14 genera and 20 species including several new species, Crania waiareka, Argyrotheca oamarutica and ?TerebrateZla rekohu, are described and figured, many for the first time. A number of mainland genera, notably Lingula, TeguZorhynchia, Argyrotheca and Thecidellina, are recorded from Paleocene-Eocene localities, mostly new, on Chatham and Pitt Islands. The stratigraphic and geographic ranges of virtually all other species, especially those of Late Eocene-Early Oligocene age from the Oamaru region are extended.
Most of the brachiopods occur in bioclastic limestones, calcareous tuffs, or greensands, usually in company with large numbers of other sessile filter-feeders which require a hard substrate and relatively shallow clear shelf conditions with little or no terrigenous sedimentation. The brachiopods represent several different life habits - the inarticulate Lingula burrowed in interto subtidal fine sandy sediment; the other inarticulate, Crania, and the minute Thecidellina, were cemented to hard microsubstrates such as cobbles or bryozoan colonies; Aetheia and Stethothyris were probably free-living; Terebratulina may have anchored its pedicle to sediment particles; and the remainder were attached to hard substrates.
Many of the brachiopods, especially Lingula, Argyrotheca, Campages and Thecidellina, are indicative of sub-tropical to tropical sea temperatures, and their presence in Paleogene rocks in New Zealand and elsewhere supports the hypothesis of warm global temperatures in the Early Cenozoic.
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306 leaves : ill., map ; 30 cm.
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1980Lee
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POLYGON ((170.461859496366884 -44.869097956899665,170.658727485433616 -44.697288310132599,171.244447033539814 -44.708989112194644,171.221580930586356 -45.20036367553395,170.436938833089755 -45.164007829224182,170.461859496366884 -44.869097956899665))
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Lee, D. E. (Daphne E.), “Cenozoic and recent rhynchonellide brachiopods of New Zealand, with an account of the Eocene and Paleocene brachiopod faunas.,” Otago Geology Theses, accessed June 8, 2026, https://theses.otagogeology.org.nz/items/show/133.