News of New Species - GASTROPODA

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CONIDAE

Conus bahamensis Vink & Rockel, 1995 (Apex, December, 1995, p.99) - According to the authors, this species has been confused in the past with C. caribbaeus Clench. In fact, the authors consider C. caribbaeus (ital) in Kaicher, 1977 card no. 1042, to be a synonym. It has a concave spire, with the first 4-6 whorls slightly tuberculate, the last whorl pyriform and with a sutural ramp that has a broad spiral groove. Colour yellowish-white, usually with a broad whiter band at the center of the last whorl and near the shoulder. C. mindanus can be distiguished from the new species by its conical last whorl, the straight outline of the spire, deep concave sutural ramp and lack of tubercles in the teleoconch whorls. Conus flavescens has a narrower last whorl with almost straight outline, and its spire has a straight outline and a concave sutural ramp. C. puncticulatus is smaller, has an ovately shaped last whorl and a carinated shoulder, and its anterior end is more twisted.

Conus barbieri Raybaudi, 1995 (La Conchiglia, January-March 1995, p.60) - Small (25-40mm), intertidal, apparently restricted to southern Samar, PI. Elongated, cylindrical, glossy shell, fine incised spiral threads from shoulder to base; early 4-5 postembryonic whorls tuberculated. Protoconch and early 5 teleconch whorls white; aperture, bluish-white; periostracum smooth, dull, brown; ground white or grayish-blue, but with brown general appearance from network of axial and spiral lines, leaving small, white, tent markings of variable size, often forming bands. Closest to the larger Conus aureus Hwass; most important difference is multispiral, narrower protoconch of C. aureus and paucispiral, wider, dull white protoconch of C. barbieri.

Conus biraghii omanensis Moolenbeek & Coomans, 1993 (Apex, March, 1993, p.21) - Length of holotype 7.7mm; shell biconic, slender, rather solid. Protoconch of 1.5 whorls, initially mostly white with brown sutures, then brown with minute axial folds. Body whorl smooth, with a groove just below the shoulder; white, with a grayish upper band ornamented with spiral white/brown lines; a second grayish band, equally ornamented, occurs near the base. Between the two bands there are spiral lines spotted with brown and white. It differs from the nominate species in having less pronounced coronations and in being more obconic. The spirals on the teleoconch are lacking on C. b. biraghii.

Conus boschorum Moolenbeek & Coomans, 1993 (Apex, March, 1993, p.20) - Shell of holotype, 11.0mm, thin, glossy; protoconch with 1.5 whorls; spire stepped; whorls canaliculated; shoulder sharply angulated; body whorl smooth except for lower third, which has spiral grooves. Spire white,with irregular dark brown spots. On the body whorl are 8 brown spots which continue below the shoulder and are connected to a broader blackish band. Because of its small size, this new species can be mistaken for a juvenile of other cone species. The authors explain that, of the sympatric species, only juveniles of C. ardisiaceus show a resemblance to boschorum, but differ from it in having spiral grooves on the spiral whorls. Also, ardisiaceus has a more bulbous shape and grows larger. The type locality is the Sultanate of Oman.

Comments: Another cone living sympatrically with C. boschorum is C. boschi Clover. The authors consider the latter taxon to be a junior synonym of C. melvilli Sow III, 1879.

Conus bozzetti Lauer, 1991 (Apex, September, 1991, p. 33) - Shell chalky white, light and thin; spire at times dotted with chestnut brown; body whorl smooth and moderately glossy, only the base is ridged with 5 to 8 oblique ribs. Protoconch rather broad and low, pure white,with 1.5-2 whorls. The spire whorls form a heightened slope on their external periphery which is distinctly nodulose on the 5 or 6 earliest whorls. It is compared with Conus gradatulus Weinkauff, which has an elevated protoconch of 2-2.5 whorls, a pink apex and no nodules on early whorls. It is also compared with C. patens Sowerby which is probably a subspecies or an ecomorph of C. gradatulus. All the original material was dredged in 150-200 meters off Cape Raas Haafuun, north eastern Somalia.

Comments: The author considers that Conus gradatulus was misidentified by Walls (1979: 71-71) as "Conus altispiratus" Sowerby, another valid species.

Conus ceruttii Cargile, 1997 (La Conchiglia, Jan.-March, 1997, p. 48) - Shell up to 40mm. Protoconch with two smooth nuclear whorls above two weakly tuberculated early teleoconch whorls. Juvenile shells (<20mm) are pink, violet, orange or yellow, with an irregular white band in middle of body whorl; mature shells are bright reddish-orange with a more defined white band. The species is extremely close to C. flavescens Sowerby I, l834. The author distinguishes C. ceruttii from C. flavescens by the former's tuberculated early teleoconch whorls and greater relative diameter. It can be found along the islands and banks of the Caribbean coast of Honduras and Nicaragua, in 10-25 meters.

Conus (Purpuriconus) cuna Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30 (287): 30) -Shell up to 20 mm, elongated, with high spire; shell surface highly sculptured with large, very numerous, closely packed spiral threads, giving the shell a rough texture. It resembles Conus mus, but differs in being a more slender and elongated shell with a higher spire, and in having bright salmon-orange early whorls and protoconch. Type locality: Moro Tupo Island, San Blas Islands, North Panama.

Conus deynzerorum Petuch, 1995 (La Conchiglia, April- June, 1995, p.36) - Compare to C. kirkandersi Petuch, with a less turbinate shape ; much lower, less stepped spire; kirkandersi has proportionally very large protoconch, mamillate and projecting, composed of two bulbous whorls. Most common color: bright canary yellow with lighter yellow band central band; bright pinkish purple specimens occur. Body whorl shiny, with 12-15 low, widely spaced spiral cords. Banco Chinchorro, off Yucatan Peninsula. Holotype: 13.5 x 7mm.

Comments: I obtained a specimen of this interesting species several years ago from a lobster fisherman in Honduras . Although I could not find out the exact locality of the specimen, Honduras fishermen go only as far north as Belize and never enter Mexican waters. This means that C. deynzerorum must have a wider habitat than Chinchorro Bank.

Conus (Purpuriconus) donnae Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30 (287): 31) -Shell up to 26 mm, with high, stepped spire and sharply angled shoulder; shoulder weakly coronated, ornamented with low undulating knobs; shell color normally bright yellow-orange, with some specimens being greenish-brown. It is closest to C. cardinalis, but differs in being a more elongated, less pyriform shell with straighter sides, in having a high, more stepped spire, and in being a more heavily sculptured shell ornamented with strongly beaded, raised spiral cords. Type locality: Northwesternmost Great Bahama Bank, Bahamas.

Conus (Purpuriconus) edwardpauli Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30 (287): 32) -Shell up to 23 mm, squat, stout, shiny, with high polish; spire high, protracted, stepped; shoulder sharply angled, carinated; shoulder carina undulating, obsoletely coronated;; shell color bright pinkish-salmon with narrow, pale whitish-pink band around midbody; occasional specimens deep purple-blue in color. It is compared with C. colombianus Petuch, l987, but the new species is narrower, has a higher, more protracted spire, and lacks a color pattern of longitudinal brown flammules on the anterior third of the shell. Type locality: Moro Tupo Island, San Blas Islands, N. Panama.

Conus evorai Monteiro, Fernandes & Rolan, 1995 (World Shells, March, 1995, p. 8) - Shell up to 25mm, with a relatively convex spire. It is closest to C. delanoyi which, according to the authors, should be emmended to delanoyae, since it was named after a lady. This species is larger, reaching about 35mm; has a somewhat concave spire, generally better preserved than in evorai in adult specimens; and has a more irregular reticulated pattern than that of the new species. The author also establishes differences in egg capsules and radulae between the two species. The new species has been found only at Praia Zeburaca, N.E. Boavista Island, Cape Verde, where it lives sympatrically with C. delanoyae.

Conus floridanus tranthami Petuch, 1995 (La Conchiglia, April-June, 1995, p.37) - much smaller (holotype: 21.5mm), stockier, less elongated than nominate subspecies, with more elongated, projecting protoconch. Lacks rows of prominent dots and dashes of f. floridanus; coloring varies - white to pink, to pale salmon, with scattered large yellowish flammules. Known only from outer reefs of the Florida Keys, 2-10 meters. Type locality: Pickles Reef, off Plantation Key, Northern Florida Keys.

Conus friedae Da Motta, 1991 (La Conchiglia, January-March, 1991, p.12) - Shell up to 52mm in length and similar in shape to C. nobilis L. and other forms of this complex. Body whorl sculptured with visible axial striae and deep grooves at anterior end; it is profusely marked with small and large white tents on a reddish-brown ground color, with three darker transverse bands. Conus friedae is not compared to any specific species of the nobilis complex; instead, the geographical areas for the different forms are established. The type locality of the new species is Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 10 meters.

Conus gordyi Röckel & Bondarev, 1999 (La Conchiglia 293: 41) - Shell up to 19.8 mm; postnuclear whorls, except for last whorl, strongly tuberculate; last whorl with about 25 spiral ribbons from base to shoulder, separated by narrow spiral grooves with close-set axial threads. Ground color white, last whorl with 3-4 bands of orange bars or rectangular dashes, spire variably spotted with the same color. Aperture matching the exterior coloration, at times slightly violet basally. Conus praecellens A. Adams, 1854, Conus acutangulus Lamarck, 1810, C. wakayamaensis (Kuroda, l956), C. eugrammatus Bartsch & Rehder, l943, and Conus helgae Blötcher, 1992 are similar species but, among other differences, they are larger, are differently sculptured, and have different color pattern. There are five specimens known of this species. It was collected at Saya de Malha Bank, Mascarenes, West Indian Ocean, in depths to 130 m.

Conus hayesi Korn, 2001 (La Conchiglia 297: 15) - Shell up to 25 mm in length; protoconch of about 1.75 whorls, maximum diameter 1.5-1.6 mm. Ground color white to cream, base stained with brown or violet brown; basic color pattern of last whorl composed of brown spiral elements: spiral lines and/or spiral rows of dashes extending from base to shoulder. Very similar to C. bairstowi Sowerby III. However, the latter grows to 44 mm. Moreover, subadult shells of C. bairstowi differ from similarly sized C. hayesi in their usually narrower last whorl and in their generally higher spire; the spire outline of C. bairstowi tends to be concave or straight, whereas it is rather straight to convex in C. hayesi; the surface sculpture of last whorl is more pronounced, but finer, in C. bairstowi. Type locality: off Transkei, South Africa, in 80-100 m.

Conus ignotus Cargile, 1998 (Siratus, No.14 (February, 1998) p.9) - The species is compared with the non-rugose form of C. patae which, although lacking the typical axial wrinkles, still has narrow, widely spaced ridges over the body whorl. The spiral sculpture on the ribbed form of the new species is by contrast shallow and closely spaced, and is not found in adult specimens. C. patae, as well as C. eversoni, lack the greenish-yellow apex of the new species and both have a more extended protoconch of 2 whorls. The new species has a protoconch of 1.25 whorls. C. ignotus is also compared to the Florida endemic C. binghamae. The type locality is west side of Quita Sueño Bank, off the northeastern Honduras coast, and was collected in 25-35m.

Conus immelmani Korn, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30 (288): 11) -Shell up to 89.7 mm, white in adults, lilac in subadult; with lilac early postnuclear whorls. Last whorl with 3 spiral bands with reticulated pattern of olive-tan to brown; spiral rows of dark brown dots to short fine axial dashes extend from base to shoulder. It is closest to C. lozeti, which is smaller, relatively heavier, slightly broader and more conical, and has a distinctly stepped spire with straighter outline. Moreover, C. lozeti has an angulate shoulder and has a dentiform columellar plait, which is absent in the new species. C. natalis is smaller than C. immelmani, and differs from it in color pattern, animal coloration and radular teeth. Type localities: Southern Natal (holotype) and Northern Transkei (Paratypes), South Africa.

Conus (Magelliconus) jacarusoi Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30 (287): 27) -Shell up to 25 mm, elongated, smooth and shiny, with flat spire; some specimens with 8-10 widely spaced rows of very small pustules; shoulder heavily coronated, with 14-16 small, sharp knobs per whorl; protoconch mammillate, bright reddish-pink in color; shell color chocolate-brown, reddish-brown or pinkish-tan; spire white with evenly spaced dark brown flammules; spire flammules extend to margin of shoulder producing a checkered pattern. It is compared to several other closely related species. Type locality: Northeastern Great Bahamas Bank, Bahamas.

Conus julieandreae Cargile, 1995 (La Conchiglia, April-June, 1995, p.24) - Differs from Conus aurantius Hwass by radically smaller size (Holotype: 23mm), greater relative spire height; more numerous shoulder nodules, more numerous whorls, grooves on spire whorls, moderate internal apertural restriction and denser pustules around body whorl. Also compare to C. harlandi Petuch, from which it is obviously different. Type locality: Cayos Caratasca, Honduras in 10m.

Comments: I have two lots that match this form: one from South Key (2 sp.), near Honduras-Nicaragua border, and one from Rosalind Banks (1 sp.), off northeastern Honduras. I also have a typical Conus aurantius from San Andres Island (off SE Nicaragua) collected together with Cardinalis Complex cones and Voluta demarcoi f. kotorai. The specimen measures 38.6mm. Finally, I have a specimen of C. aurantius from Curacao with grooved spire whorls.

Conus maioensis Trovao, Rolan & Feliz-Ales, 1990 (Publ. Ocas. Soc. Port. Malac., 1990, p. 69) - Holotype 36.3mm in length; shell dark brown with a midbody band of large, irregular, bluish blotches. It was at first considered a form of C. irregularis Sowerby, but differs in having a more raised spire, with a preponderance of light colored blotches. C. irregularis has the same color spire as the ground color of the body whorl. The authors have also found interspecific differences in the egg capsules of the two species, which have been found living sympatrically at Maio Is., Cape Verde, the type locality of the new species.

Conus (Purpuriconus) ortneri Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30 (287): 33) -Shell up to 25 mm, with high polish; body whorl characteristically sculptured with 6-8 evenly spaced, faint, shallowly depressed, punctate spiral grooves; shoulder highly rounded, subcarinated, edged with 16 well-defined, rounded knobs per whorl; shell color uniformly deep orange-red or bright orange, with paler knobs on spire; protoconch and early whorls deep cherry red; interior of aperture rose-pink. It is compared with C. donnae and C. speciossisimus. Type locality: Northern Great Bahama Bank, Bahamas.

Conus (Leptoconus) paschalli Petuch, 1998 (The Nautilus 111(1): 36) ­ Average size about 24 mm, with stocky body whorl, wide shoulder, and proportionally low spire. It is closest to C. portobeloensis Petuch, 1990. The new species differs from it by being smaller, with a stockier, proportionally shorter and more pyriform body whorl; the shoulder of C. paschalli is sharply angled, almost carinated, while C. portobeloensis has a more rounded shoulder edge. Other differences are stated. Distribution: At present known only from the beach areas near Bragman's Bluff, Miskito Coast, Nicaragua, on beach flat.

Conus patamakanthini Delsaerdt, 1997 (Gloria Maris, XXXVI, 1997, p.45-47) Shell up to 89.9mm in length, the elongated last whorl encircled with about 40 flat ribbons on which brown, short, axial streaks appear; two irregular bands of brown blotches appear at midbody and towards the anterior end of the body whorl. It is compared with Conus australis Holten, C. gabryae Korn & Rockel, C. armadillo and C. ranonganus. Conus australis is very similar to the new species. It differs from C. patamakanthini by having tuberculate postnuclear whorls, more numerous spiral groves (3-4 in the new species), axial sculpture in grooves between ribs and a less swollen shoulders. The type locality is about 120 meters S. of Racha Noi Is. (S. of Phuket), Thailand. Only two specimens are known.

Conus pineaui Pin and Tack, 1995 (La Conchiglia, July - Sept. 1995, p.45) - Can be mistaken for juvenile ermineus (Born), but general shape of latter is clearly pyriform, while the profile of pineaui is practically straight. Pattern differs: C. ermineus shows large, undefined white spots on brown; typical C. pineaui has flammulae. Also compared to C. guinaicus which shows a more rounded, narrower shoulder, more elevated spire, rather pyriform shape. Inside of C. pineaui aperture always white; ermineus, purple; guinaicus, purplish with two white bands.

Conus ritae Petuch, 1995 (La Conchiglia, April-June, 1995, p.38) - Polished, glossy, inflated, bulbiform, widest just below shoulder; spire elevated, with distinctly convex whorls; protoconch elevated, projecting, mamillate. Deep red with two paler bands; entire body whorl encircled with rows of tiny pale brown dots; spiral whorls with brown flammules. Compare with C. glenni Petuch from San Blas Is., Panama; ritae is larger (holotype:27.5mm), more inflated, glossier, with lower spire and no raised spiral cords. Endemic to Gorda Banks, off NE Honduras.

Comments: Numerous forms of the Conus cardinalis complex are brought into Roatan by lobster fishermen. The picture of the holotype of C. ritae seems to have a badly broken lip including the anterior canal. This would make the specimen appear more bulbous than it might otherwise be. There are two paratypes which, unfortunately, were not pictured.

Conus (Purpuriconus) rosalindensis Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30 (287) -Shell up to 26 mm, smooth, with high polish; spire low, slightly stepped; shoulder sharply angled, coronated; shell color dark orange-tan with broad mid-body band; band overlaid with numerous, closely packed, hair-like, brown longitudinal flammules; protoconch and early whorls bright cherry-red; interior of aperture pinkish purple. It is compared to C. kulkulkan Petuch, l980, but the new species has a more sharply angled shoulder, a much smoother shell that lacks rows of beaded raised threads, and has a different spire color pattern that lacks the densely packed prominent, dark brown, thin flammules. It differs from C. hilli in being a more slender shell with higher spire, and in having a larger and more prominent shoulder and spire knobs. The type locality is Rosalind Banks, off N. Honduras.

Conus salzmanni Raybaudi & Rolan, 1997 (Argonauta 9(10­12): 11) ­ Shell up to 39 mm; protoconch with 1.75 to 2 whorls; remaining whorls, smooth. The new species is very similar to the Conus inscriptus complex, which differs by having a multispiral, wider larval shell and weakly to distinctly tuberculate early 2­4 postnuclear whorls. It is also compared to C. jickelii, which has a larger larval shell, a more concave spire, a broader and more ventricose last whorl and a wider aperture. It is finally compared with C. stramineus mulderi, whose reproductive habits exclude propagation to the geographical area inhabited by the new species. Known from Djibuti, Little Aden and Somalia; in shallow water to 150 meters. Caution: The cover of Argonauta reads X, N.10­12(1995); however, the contents page reads IX(10­12) It was published in 1997.

Conus (Purpuriconus) stanfieldi Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30 (287): 25) -Shell up to 33 mm, inflated, broad across the shoulder, smooth with high polish; body faintly sculptured with 8-10 slightly impressed spiral threads; shell color bright orange with wide, amorphous mid-body band of whitish-pink and scattered whitish-pink patches below shoulder. It is compared with C. jucundus, which has weaker and less numerous knobs on the shoulder and spire whorls, has a rougher shell with raised or beaded cords on the body whorl and different markings. The two species also have different ecological preferences. Type Locality: Northern Great Bahama Bank, Bahamas.

Conus suzannae Van Rossum, 1990 (La Conchiglia, January-March, 1990, p.29) - The species belongs to the interminable complex of Conus textile, and the author compares it to many of them. The closest is Conus textile f. pyramidalis. The author states that this cannot be because pyramidalis "is definitely connected with canonicus," whose distribution does not reach East Africa . The type material comes from Kenya, East Africa, but has been found as far south as Zanzibar.

Conus tirardi Rockel & Moolenbeek, 1996 (Vita Marina 44(1­2): 47) ­ Shell up to 31 mm, light, with a multispiral protoconch. Outline with a slightly convex apex and almost straight below. Color light beige, with 3 spiral bands on last whorl. Base purple with white spiral cords and irregular fine brown spots. It is compared with C. otohimeae Kuroda & Ito, from which it differs by having a lower spire and a less triangular shape. C. otohimeae has a white base and numerous irregularly colored spiral lines and bands. The type locality is the area around Noumea, New Caledonia, but the species can also be found in the eastern part of the Coral Sea and the Pitcairn Islands.

Conus wilsi Delsaerdt, 1998 (Gloria Maris 36(4): 69) - Shell up to 30mm; last whorl with a straight and smooth outline; spire almost flat. Sutural ramps with 3 spiral grooves. Patterns of brown spots or veins on a white to violet-white background; central white band edged by spiral row of brown spots or flames. It is compared with C. otohimeae, which has a moderatly high spire and weak spiral grooves in the body whorl. C. shikamai has a more elongated body whorl and the pattern in the spire has more numerous and irregular spots. C. bayani also has a more elongated body whorl and a completely different spire outline which is deeply concave. Type locality: South of Queseir, Red Sea, Egypt.

Conus (Dauciconus) worki Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30(287): 25) -The new species is most similar to C. daucus, but differs in consistently being narrower, more slender; with distinctly more channeled spire whorls which are bordered by a raised carina. It is paler than C. daucus in coloration, with a white mid-body band that is bounded by brown flammules and dots and, "most importantly," has a yellow protoconch instead of pink. C. riosi, with which the new species is sympatric, is larger and wider, with less projecting early whorls and less canaliculate spire. Type locality: Off Vitoria, Espirito Santo State, Brazil, in 35 m.

Conus (Magelliconus) zylmanae Petuch, 1998 (La Conchiglia 30(287): 28) -Shell up to 14 mm. It is closest to C. jacarusoi Petuch, 1998, but differs in being a more pyriform shell with proportionally higher spire, in having more numerous and smaller spire coronations, and in having a khaki-green shell and spire color, with smaller white flammules. The two species occupy different ecological niches. Type locality: Northern Great Bahama Bank, Bahamas.