Abstract

Fourteen species of Volutidae are recognized from the Neogene of central to southern Chile. Seven species are known from previous descriptions: Voluta triplicata, V. alta, V. domeykoana, V. obesa, V. vidali, Proscaphella taverai, and Adelomelon reconditus. A neotype is designated for Voluta alta. Proscaphella gracilior, type species of the genus Proscaphella, is considered to belong to the genus Miomelon, which places Proscaphella in synonymy with Miomelon. Most species of "Proscaphella," excluding the type species, form a separate group well distinguished from Miomelon, and for these the new genus Palaeomelon is introduced with Voluta triplicata as type species. Seven new species are reported: Palaeomelon tucapeli, Palaeomelon angoli, Adelomelon colocoloi, Adelomelon caupolicani, Miomelon lautaroi, Miomelon? pelantaroi, and Pachycymbiola? galvarinoi. Voluta triplicata, V. domeykoana, and Proscaphella taverai are included in Palaeomelon n. gen., Voluta obesa and V. alta are referred to Adelomelon, and Voluta vidali is referred to Pachycymbiola. The fossil record of the Recent volute genera Miomelon and Pachycymbiola extends back into the Miocene, Adelomelon is known from the Late Eocene, while Palaeomelon is known in Chile only from the Miocene. Species are morphologically very similar among genera, and from this it is inferred that separation of genera probably occurred in the late Paleogene. Copyright © 2007, The Paleontological Society.