Late Cretaceous Mollusca from the Chatham Islands, New Zealand

The Cretaceous Mollusca (Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Scaphopoda) from the Chatham Islands, New Zealand consists of a moderately diverse faunule of 37 species in the Kahuitara Tuff of Pitt Island. At least 16 (c.43%) of the taxa are conspecific with mainland New Zealand species and at least 15 (c.41%) taxa are endemic to Chatham Islands. New species proposed are Crenella n. sp., Chlamys (Lyriochlamys) n. sp., Chlamys s. l. n. sp., Camptonectes n. sp., Eburneopecten freneixae n. sp., Dimyodon n. sp., Purpurocardia n. sp., Lahillia n. sp., Solyma flemingae n. sp., Brookula s.l. n. sp., Calliomphalus s. l. n. sp., Pyrgulifera kahuitara n. sp., and Ageria? n. sp. Most taxa (c.41%) are epifaunal suspension feeding bivalves and dominate the Cretaceous macrofauna. Less dominant are infaunal suspension feeding bivalves (30%). Epifaunal browsers (c.14%), deposit feeders (8%) and carnivores (5%) are minor components. An open marine, shallow shelf environment is advocated. A latest Cretaceous (Campanian?-Maastrichtian) age is supported for the Kahuitara Tuff macrofossils.