344
N. BALAKRISHNAN NAIR AND M. SARASWATNY
(8) Species which are common for Regions I and I V but not recorded from I1 and I11 : Teredo bartschi.
(9) Species which give no evidence of a particular pattern of distribution : Neoteredo reynei, Teredothyra excavata, Uperotus rehderi,
Teredo triangularis, T . somersi, T . mindanensis, T . johnsoni, Bankia
bipennata, B. nordi, B. martensi, B. australis, B. orcutti, B. gracilis.
The distribution of shipworms in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans, including the Mediterranean is presented in Table 111. It is
evident that there is a preponderance of shipworms in the Indo-West
Pacific region with more than 40 out of the 66 known species occurring
there. Three species-Lyrodus pedicellatus, Bankia carinata and Teredo
bartschi-are noteworthy in that they show a very wide distribution,
having been recorded from all these areas. Six species are common to
the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans while 16 species occur both in
the Indian and the West Pacific. Two species are common to the
Atlantic and the Mediterranean (Teredora molleolus, Nototeredo norvagica), 3 to the Pacific and Atlantic (Lyrodus takanoshimensis, Bankia
jimbriatula, B. gouldi) and 1 to the Indian and Atlantic Oceans (Bankia
campanellata).
The distribution of some species is restricted to certain oceans.
For example, 8 species, Uperotus rehderi, Teredo aegypos, T . poculifer,
T . somersi, Bankia anechoensis, B. australis, B. brevis and B. nordi
occur only in the Indian Ocean; 13 species, Kuphus polythalamia,
Teredo mindanensis, Lyrodus m s s a , L. mediolobata, Nausitora dryas,
N . excolpa, Bankia barthelowi, B. cieba, B. fosteri, B. orcutti, B. philippinensis, B. setacea and B. zeteki have so far been reported only from the
Pacific Ocean, 4 species, Uperotus panamensis (? ), Psiloteredo senegalensis, P. megotara, Nototeredo knoxi, from the Atlantic only, and 6 species,
Teredothyra dominicensis, Psiloteredo healdi, Teredo johnsoni, T .
portoricensis, Spathoteredo spathu and Bankia destructa, from the Gulf
of Mexico and the Caribbean only.
The distribution of 4 species, Neoteredo reynei, Uperotus lieberkindi
and Lyrodus bipartita and Bankia gracilis, is doubtful, probably because
they were collected from drift material.
111. MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL STUDIES
A survey of the morphology and anatomy of shipworms is an
essential prerequisite for (1) a clear understanding of the relationship
of the different species and genera and (2) for a proper assessment of
the nature of the specialization within these bivalves which have resorted to a unique diet on wood-a terrestrial product. Consequent on
N. BALAKRISHNAN NAIR AND M. SARASWATNY
(8) Species which are common for Regions I and I V but not recorded from I1 and I11 : Teredo bartschi.
(9) Species which give no evidence of a particular pattern of distribution : Neoteredo reynei, Teredothyra excavata, Uperotus rehderi,
Teredo triangularis, T . somersi, T . mindanensis, T . johnsoni, Bankia
bipennata, B. nordi, B. martensi, B. australis, B. orcutti, B. gracilis.
The distribution of shipworms in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans, including the Mediterranean is presented in Table 111. It is
evident that there is a preponderance of shipworms in the Indo-West
Pacific region with more than 40 out of the 66 known species occurring
there. Three species-Lyrodus pedicellatus, Bankia carinata and Teredo
bartschi-are noteworthy in that they show a very wide distribution,
having been recorded from all these areas. Six species are common to
the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans while 16 species occur both in
the Indian and the West Pacific. Two species are common to the
Atlantic and the Mediterranean (Teredora molleolus, Nototeredo norvagica), 3 to the Pacific and Atlantic (Lyrodus takanoshimensis, Bankia
jimbriatula, B. gouldi) and 1 to the Indian and Atlantic Oceans (Bankia
campanellata).
The distribution of some species is restricted to certain oceans.
For example, 8 species, Uperotus rehderi, Teredo aegypos, T . poculifer,
T . somersi, Bankia anechoensis, B. australis, B. brevis and B. nordi
occur only in the Indian Ocean; 13 species, Kuphus polythalamia,
Teredo mindanensis, Lyrodus m s s a , L. mediolobata, Nausitora dryas,
N . excolpa, Bankia barthelowi, B. cieba, B. fosteri, B. orcutti, B. philippinensis, B. setacea and B. zeteki have so far been reported only from the
Pacific Ocean, 4 species, Uperotus panamensis (? ), Psiloteredo senegalensis, P. megotara, Nototeredo knoxi, from the Atlantic only, and 6 species,
Teredothyra dominicensis, Psiloteredo healdi, Teredo johnsoni, T .
portoricensis, Spathoteredo spathu and Bankia destructa, from the Gulf
of Mexico and the Caribbean only.
The distribution of 4 species, Neoteredo reynei, Uperotus lieberkindi
and Lyrodus bipartita and Bankia gracilis, is doubtful, probably because
they were collected from drift material.
111. MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL STUDIES
A survey of the morphology and anatomy of shipworms is an
essential prerequisite for (1) a clear understanding of the relationship
of the different species and genera and (2) for a proper assessment of
the nature of the specialization within these bivalves which have resorted to a unique diet on wood-a terrestrial product. Consequent on