Diplommatina chordata Pfeiffer, 1855

Pfeiffer, 1855. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 23: 105.

Type material: Syntype (1), NHMUK 20160223 (dry shell material); ex Museum Cuming (Acc. no. 1829). Specimen formerly attached to board now missing and presumed lost or destroyed .

Label details: ‘ New Zealand, Mr. Strange’.

Type locality: Unknown; incorrectly stated as ‘New Zealand’ by Pfeiffer (1855d: 105).

Remarks: There are no published illustrations of the type material, which was sent to H. Cuming by the Australian-based naturalist Frederick Strange. Pfeiffer (1855d: 105) gave the dimensions of this sinistrally-coiled species as “Long. 4, diam. 2 mill.” Pfeiffer (1855d: 105) also listed, but did not describe, a variety of this species from ‘Lord Howe’s Island’, based on one or more specimens collected by John MacGillivray, presumably during a visit to that island on H.M.S. Herald in 1853. There are no subsequent records of Diplommatina chordata from New Zealand (e.g., Hedley & Suter 1893: 620; Suter 1913b: 185), and the type material was undoubtedly mis-localised. According to Iredale (1944: 303–304), Pfeiffer’s description of chordata matches Pupa strangei Benson, 1853, from eastern Australia, the types of which were also collected by Strange (Benson 1853: 286).

Current Taxonomy: Possibly a junior synonym of Pupa strangei Benson, 1853.

Distribution: Not determined.