NEOGENE PALEONTOLOGY IN THE NORTHERN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. THE SUPERFAMILY CYPRAEOIDEA (MOLLUSCA: GASTROPODA: FAMILIES: CYPRAEIDAE, OVULIDAE, TRIVIIDAE, AND ERATOIDAE)

The Paleontological Research Institution has published an ongoing series of taxonomic monographs concerning the Neogene fossils of the Cibao Valley in the northern Dominican Republic. This present study, which represents the preliminary research of one of these future monographs, focuses on the marine-gastropod superfamily Cypraeoidea, an important group because their presence in fossil assemblages is indicative of tropical-marine conditions. Twenty-six species of cypraeoideans are documented and figured from upper Miocene and lower Pliocene strata of the Ciabo Valley. Taxa include 11 species of Cypraeidae within eight genera, seven species of Ovulidae in four genera, four species of Triviidae in three genera, and four species of Eratoidae in a single genus; for a total of 26 species in 16 genera. There are two undescribed species of Cypraeidae, one new species of Ovulidae, and two new species of Eratoidae. Twelve cypraeoidean species were described previously from the Dominican Republic and include the cypraeids Muracypraea henekeni, Luria dominiciensis, L. patrespatriae, Pseudozonaria raymondrobertsi and Zonaria spurcoides; the ovulids Neosimnia wisewoodae, Jenneria dominiciensis, J. gabbiana, and J. pilsbryi; the triviids Dolichupis islahispanoliae and Niveria sanctidominici; and the eratoid Hespererato domingensis. Cypraea gurabonis Ingram, 1939 was also described previously from the Dominican Republic, however, it is a poorly preserved specimen and it will be synonymized with Naria acicularis. In addition to the reviewed cypraeoidean taxa, there are seven extant Caribbean species (Cypraeidae: Naria acicularis, Macrocypraea zebra, Luria cinerea, Ovulidae: Cyphoma intermedia, Simnialena uniplicata, Triviidae: Pusula pediculus, and Eratoidae: Hespererato maugeriae).