332 Neogene paleontology in the northern Dominican Republic 8

The Neogene formations of the Yaque Group, Dominican Republic, include the following units: the Baitoa, Cercado. and Gurabo formations and the Mao Formation, including the Mao Adentro Limestone and Mao Clay members. The muricid fauna of the group is especially rich, with a total of 61 species divided into 34 subgenera. Prior to this report 19 species were known from the Dominican beds. This report adds 17 previously-described forms to the fauna. A total of 23 new species of Muricidae are described, one of which had been previously reported by Maury (1917) under an erroneous name. 

Due to the lack of correlative units in the western Atlantic region, there appears to be a high degree of endemism in the faunas of the Cercado-Gurabo formations. Of the 48 species of Muricidae in these two units, 29 are unique to the Dominican Republic, 21 being new taxa described herein. Only 19 species occur elsewhere, either in the Recent (12) or in other units in the Caribbean area. In contrast, the Baitoa Formation has no endemic species. This is doubtless a reflection of the presence of other beds of the same age in Florida, Haiti, and Venezuela, as well as the shallow-water environment of deposition of the beds. 

E.H. Vokes, H.E. Vokes

Pages: 181, 19 pls

Year published: 1989