Systematics, hinge, and internal morphology of the Devonian bivalve, Nuculoidea corbuliformis (Hall and Whitfield)

Abstract

Although Nuculoidea corbuliformis (Hall and Whitfield) is the most widespread Devonian nuculid species in North America, the hinge and internal morphology have not been adequately described. A newly excavated hinge shows the dentition and resilifer to be fundamentally similar to those of other species of Nuculoidea, while the resilifer morphology and shell shape more closely link N. corbuliformis to post-Devonian nuculid species. An internal mold of a probable N. corbuliformis found among Hall's original syntypes (here restudied) shows typical nuculid interior morphology. These new data allow the problematic genus Nuculoidea Williams and Breger to be further clarified.Comparisons with N. corbuliformis suggest that N. aquisgranensis (Beushausen), N. herzeri (Nettleroth), N. neda (Hall and Whitfield), N. niotica (Hall and Whitfield), N. trigona (Spriestersbach), N. macrorhyncha (Spriestersbach), and N. subtrigona (Simpson) are subjective junior synonyms.