TULANE STUDIES IN GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY Volume 26, Number 1 December 29, 1993 ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT AS A USEFUL TOOL FOR IDENTIFYING FOSSIL MOLLUSKS, WITH EXAMPLES FROM THE GATUN FORMATION, PANAMA 1 2 2 WILLIAM D. PITT · and LOIS J. PITT CONTENTS Page I. ABSTRACT .......... 1 II. INTRODUCTION ...... ....... ... 1 III. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .. 2 IV. SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY 2 V. LOCALITY DATA . ... 12 VI. LITERATURE CITED ........ 13 I. ABSTRACT graphs were taken at F /8 for two minutes. The color patterns of the 31 species illus­ Exposure times from one minute to about trated here represent 30 species known two and one-half minutes seemed to make from the Gatun Formation, and one that is little difference in the results, although new to the formation. These illustrations time must be increased if camera distance show the usefulness of ultra-violet light to from the specimen is increased signific­ distinguish morphologically similar forms, antly. The photograph of Turritella ab­ fossil and Recent. rupta (the largest specimen) was taken at three minutes. We used a single light, II. INTRODUCTION which was hand held for one minute on each side of the specimen. It was found The use of ultra-violet light to induce that better results were obtained if the fluorescense was pioneered by the late light was held above the plane of the cam­ Axel Olsson of Coral Gables, Florida, in era lens. The photographs, as taken, show the 1960's; however, it was not widely used a reverse color pattern when printed, by him, or by many other workers, as a which is corrected by m aking a reverse tool in the identification of fossil mollusks. negative. For a more complete account of This process has been more commonly the process see Krueger (1974). used by Harold and Emily Vokes from Tu­ lane University (Vokes and Vokes, 1968), The color patterns in the following spe­ and has also been used by Hoerle (1976), cies, for the most part, show a distinctive Pitt and Pitt (1992), as well as others. pattern for the species represented, but The procedure used to induce fluores­ some seem to be highly variable. Most cense is to soak the specimens in a chlorine show patterns very similar to their living bleach for three days prior to photogra­ cognates. phy. For the photographic process, Kodak The group that appears m ost in need of a Plus-X Pan film was used. We used a 6 major revision is the Cones. The Conus watt, long-wave ultra-violet light. To coun­ molis Brown and Pilsbry, 1911, and C. teract the effects of the light on the film, a bravoi Spieker, 1922, complexes appear to ,yellow filter must be used. The photo- be a particular problem, as we have nu­ merous specimens tentatively identified as belonging to this group that have strikingly 1 Field Associate, Dept. of Geology, California different color patterns. The color patterns Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Califor­ would seem to indicate that there are more nia 94118 2Home Address: 2444 38th Ave., Sacramento, species of Conus in the Gatun Formation California 95822 than indicated by Woodring (1970). 1 2 Tulane Studies in Geology and Paleontology Vol. 26 This report is to show the color patterns Architectonica (Architectonica) nobilis karsteni of some fossil mollusks from the Gatun Rutsch. WOODRING, 1959, U.S. Geo!. Sur­ Formation of Panama, and to indicate vey, Prof. Paper 306-B, p. 167, pl. 30, figs. their possible relationship to other species 1-3. (fossil and Recent). It is not intended to be Architectonica (Architectonica) karsteni a taxonomic study of the species reported (Rutsch). DeVRIES, 1985, Veliger, v. 27, no. 3, p. 282, figs. 2-12, 15, 16, 18, 20. herein. Holotype: Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel H-1836. III. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Type locality: Punta Gavilan Formation; We want to thank Emily Vokes of Tulane Punta Gavilan, Venezuela. University for her encouragement of our Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. Can­ endeavours and her help with this paper, taure and Punta Gavilan formations, Venezue­ Wayne Barnett of Houston, Texas for most la. Esmeraldas beds and Duale Formation, Ecuador. Lobitos Tablazo, Peru. Navidad For­ of the ultra-violet photography, and Allan mation, Chile. Agueguexquite Formation, McMakin of Hammond, Oregon for the Mexico. Recent, Mexico to Ecuador. prints. Discussion: De Vries (1985, p. 282) ele­ ABREVIATIONS FOR vated the subspecies Architectonica (A.) REPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS nobilis karsteni Rutsch, 1934, to full spe­ cies rank, based on morphological obser­ ANSP - Academy of Natural Sciences, vations of specimens from numerous Philadelphia localities. De Vries also reported the first BM(NH) - British Museum (Natural His­ time occurrences of the species in the Re­ tory) cent Tropical East Pacific, from Baja Cali­ CASG - California Academy of Sciences fornia, Mexico to Cabo Pasado, Ecuador. (Geology) CASGTC - California Academy of Sciences (Geology Type Collections) TURRITELLA (TURRITELLA) ABRUPTA PRI - Paleontological Research Institution Spieker USGS - United States Geological Survey Plate 1, figure 3 USNM - United States Museum of Natural Turritella robusta var. abrupta SPIEKER, 1922, History Johns Hopkins Univ., Studies in Geology, no. 3, p. 85, pl. 4, fig. 6. IV. SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY Turritella abrupta Spieker. WOODRING, 1957, U.S. Geo!. Survey, Prof. Paper 306-A, p. 106, Class GASTROPODA pl. 23, figs. 6, 15, 16. Order MESOGASTROPODA Holotype: Johns Hopkins University. ARCHITECTONICA (ARCHITECTONICA) NOBILIS Type locality: Zorritos Formation; Zorritos, Roding Peru. Plate 1, figure 1 Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. Zor­ Architectonica nobilis RODING, 1798, Museum ritos Formation, Peru. Angostura and Progreso Boltenianum, p. 78. formations, Ecuador. Punta Gavilan Formation, Architectonica nobilis nobilis Roding. WOOD­ Venezuela. Tubara Group, Colombia. RING, 1959, U.S. Geo!. Survey, Prof. Paper 306-B, p. 165, pl. 29, figs. 1-6, 10-12, 14-16. Holotype: Museum Boltenianum. TURRITELLA (TORCULA) ALTILIRA ALTILIRA Type locality: Recent, unknown. Conrad Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. Es­ Plate 1, figure 4 meraldas beds, Ecuador. Recent, western At­ Turritella altilira CONRAD, 1857, Pacific Rail­ lantic and eastern Pacific. road Exp!., v. 6, pt. 2, p. 72, pl. 5, fig. 19. Turritella (Torcula) altilira altilira Conrad. ARCHITECTONICA (ARCHITECTONICA) KARSTENI WOODRING, 1957, U.S. Geo!. Survey, Prof. Rutsch Paper 306-A, p. 102, pl. 23, figs. 1, 7, 12, 13. Plate 1, figure 2 Lectotype: ANSP 3513. Architectonica nobilis karsteni RUTSCH, 1934, Type locality: Gatun Formation; Panama. Schweizer. Palaeont. Gesell., Abh., vol. 54, Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. Un- no. 3, p. 44, pl. 1, figs. 8-10. known formations, Colombia and Venezuela. No. 1 Fossil Mollusks Under Ultra-Violet Light 3 NATICA (NATICA?) BOLUS Murex polynematicus BROWN and PILSBRY, Brown and Pilsbry 1911, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. , Proc., v. 63, p. Plate 1, figure 5 353, pl. 26, fig. 1. Natica bolus BROWN and PILSBRY, 1913, Murex (Murex) polynematicus Brown and Pils­ Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Proc., v. 64, p. 508, pl. bry. WOODRING, 1959, U.S. Geol. Survey, 22, fig. 9. Prof. Paper 306-B, p. 215, pl. 36, figs. 2, 3; pl. Natica (Natica?) bolus Brown and Pilsbry. 37, figs. 6, 9. WOODRING, 1957, U.S. Geol. Survey, Prof. Haustellum polynematicus Brown and Pilsbry. Paper 306-A, p. 84, pl. 20, figs. 1-3. VOKES, 1990, Tulane Stud. Geol. Paleont. , v. 23, nos. 1-3, p. 13, pl. 1, fig. 11. Holotype: ANSP 3846. Type locality: Gatun Formation; Canal Zone, Holotype: ANSP 1719. Panama. Type locality: Gatun Formation; Gatun Locks, Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. Cer­ Canal Zone, Panama. cado and Gurabo formations, Dominican Re­ Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. An­ public. Springvale Formation, Trinidad. gostura Formation and Esmeraldas beds, Ecuador. (?)Angostura Formation, Narino, Col­ ombia. NATICA (STIGMAULAX) GUPPIANA Toula POIRIERIA (PANAMUREX) GATUNENSIS Plate 1, figure 6 (Brown and Pilsbry) Natica guppiana TO ULA, 1909, Geol. Reichs., Plate 2, figure 2 Jahrb., v. 58, p. 696, pl. 25, fig. 6. Murex (Phyllonotus) gatunensis BROWN and (Toula). WOODRING, Stigmaulax guppiana PILSBRY, 1911, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1957, U.S. Geol. Survey, Prof. Paper 306-A, Proc. , v. 63, p. 354, pl. 26, fig. 2. p. 86, pl. 20, figs. 11-16. Paziella (Panamurex) gatunensis (Brown and Type: Tech. Hochschule, Vienna. Pilsbry). WOODRING, 1959, U.S. Geol. Sur­ Type locality: Gatun Formation; Gatun Locks, vey, Prof. Paper 306-B, p. 217 , pl. 35, figs. 6, Canal Zone, Panama. 7, 9, 10. Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. La Poirieria (Panamurex) gatunensis (Brown and Vela Formation, Venezuela. Tubara Group, Pilsbry). VOKES, 1992, Tulane Stud. Geol. Colombia. Angostura Formation and Daule Paleont. , v. 25, nos. 1-3, p. 40 , pl. 8, figs. 3-6. Group, Ecuador. Rfo Banano Formation, Costa Holotype: ANSP 1720. Rica. Shoal River Formation, Florida. Type locality: Gatun F ormation; Gatun Locks, Canal Zone, Panama. CYPRAEA(M:URACYPRAEA)HENEKENI Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. Can­ Sowerby taure and Punta Gavilan formations, Venezue­ Plate 1, figure 7 la. Tubara Group, Colombia. Cypraea henikeri SOWERBY, 1850, Geol. Soc. London, Quart. Jour., v. 6, p. 45, pl. 9, fig. 3 ANTILLIPHOS (ANTILLIPHOS) CANDEI (error for henekeni). GATUNENSIS T oula Cypraea (Muracypraea) henekeni Sowerby. Plate 2, figure 3 WOODRING, 1959, U.S. Geol. Survey, Prof. Phos gatunensis TO ULA, 1909, Geol. Reichs., Paper 306-B, p. 194, pl. 31, figs. 6-10; pl. 32, Jahrb., v. 58, p. 701 , pl. 25, fig. 11; pl. 28, figs. 1, 4, 6, 9. fig. 6. Lectotype: BM(NH) G 83940. Antilliphos (Antilliphos) candei gat1lnensis Type locality: Cercado or Gurabo Formation, (Toula). WOODRING, 1964, U.S. Geol. Sur­ Dominican Republic. vey, Prof. Paper 306-C, p . 264, pl. 42, figs. Occurrence: Gatun Formation, Panama. Cer­ 3, 4. cado and Gurabo formations, Dominican Re­ Holotype: L ost; Neotype USNM 643660 (see public. Springvale and Brasso formations, Trini­ Woodring, 1964, p. 264). dad. Unknown formations, Venezuela and Col­ Type locality: Gatun Formation; Gatun Locks, ombia. Angostura Formation and Esmeraldas Canal Zone, Panama.