Paracaudina species (not described)

Figure 20

Material examined. East of New Zealand, Chatham Rise, 43.00ºS 179.00ºW, 546 m, 12 Sep 1989, NIWA 70957 (1); outer east Cook Strait, 41.70ºS 175.65ºE, 1040–1080 m, 15 Apr 2010, NIWA 63034 (1); 41.51ºS 175.72ºE, 1076–1104 m, 17 Apr 2010, NIWA 63195 (1); 41.95ºS 174.62ºE, 964–1005 m, 23 Apr 2010, NIWA 63806 (5).

Remarks. Our colleagues in NIWA (Wellington) inform us of many Paracaudina specimens in their collections. We have had the opportunity to examine only eight. Mid-body ossicles from one small specimen (35 mm long; NIWA 70957) are illustrated here. They are not those of Paracaudina coriacea (Hutton, 1972) or Paracaudina chilensis (Müller, 1850). Nor do the ossicles in the eight specimens appear to be the ossicles of only one species, those from the Chatham Rise specimen differing from those from the outer east Cook Strait specimens. A comprehensive examination of the NIWA Paracaudina specimens will be undertaken after this work, presumably in Wellington.