Profundiconus zardoyai Tenorio, 2015

Tenorio, Manuel J. & Puillandre, Nicolas, 2023, Revision of the deep-water cone snail fauna from New Caledonia (Gastropoda, Conoidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 896, pp. 1-134 : 31-33

Profundiconus zardoyai Tenorio, 2015

Figs 21–22

Profundiconus zardoyai Tenorio, 2015a: 39 , pls 1–2.

Profundiconus zardoyai – Monnier et al. 2018a: 140.

Material examined

25 lots (about 85 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype NEW CALEDONIA • 10.5 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW926; 18º57′ S, 163º25′ E; 325–330 m depth; 7 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition; MNHN-IM-2000-28206 ( Fig. 21A, L ).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 10.6 mm; off N New Caledonia , stn DW927; 18º56′ S, 163º22′ E; 444‒452 m depth; 7 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21B ) • 10.2 mm; off N New Caledonia , stn DW926; 18º57′ S, 163º25′ E; 325–330 m depth; 7 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21C ) • 11 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN ( Fig. 21D ) • 12.9 mm; off N New Caledonia , stn DW942; 19º04′ S, 162º27′ E; 264‒270 m depth; 8 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21E ) • 11 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW941; 19º02′ S, 163º27′ E; 270 m depth; 8 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21F ) • 11.5 mm; off New Caledonia , stn DW01; 18º56′ S, 163º24′ E; 380‒400 m depth; 23 Nov. 1994; HALICAL 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21G ) • 11 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW924; 18°55′ S, 163°24′ E; 344‒360 m depth; 7 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21H ) • 10.8 mm; off N New Caledonia , stn DW926; 18º57′ S, 163º25′ E; 325–330 m depth; 7 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21I ) • 12.1 mm; Secteur des Belep , off New Caledonia, stn DW1152; 18º58′ S, 163º 24º E; 335 m depth; 29 Oct. 1989; LAGON expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21J ) • 10.4 mm; Norfolk Ridge , off New Caledonia, stn DW181; 23º18′ S, 168º05′ E; 311‒330 m depth; 31 Jan. 1993; SMIB 8 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 21K ) • 10.7 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW926; 18º57′ S, 163º25′ E; 325–330 m depth; 7 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition ( Fig. 21M ) .

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

N New Caledonia: Grand Passage area, Secteur des Belep and Surprise Island. There is at least one record from the Coral Sea (Plateau des Chesterfield), although it might correspond to a misidentified P. barazeri . It has typically been found at depths between 200 and 600, although a few specimens come from depths of 700‒ 800 m. This species can be considered endemic.

Remarks

Shell very small (maximum shell length 13.5 mm), conical to broadly conical with a moderate spire of sigmoid outline. Paucispiral protoconch of 1.5–1.75 whorls, white, porcellaneous and translucent ( Fig. 21L ). Radular tooth ( Fig. 21M ) rather large, with the anterior section much shorter than half of the total tooth length. Barb present, opposing a pointed blade covering about one half of the anterior portion. External cusp laterally expanded and serrated with 5 to 6 small denticles. Characteristic fringe of closely spaced projections pointing towards the apex present immediately below the waist. Shaft fold present. Slanted base, with a large basal spur present. In the phylogeny, the two sequenced individuals form a monophyletic group that is the sister group of P. vaubani and P. kanakinus . Specimens of empty shells provisionally identified as P. cf. kanakinus , but remarkably similar to P. zardoyai , have been collected off Wallis and Futuna Islands (Moolenbeek & R̂ckel 1996). These specimens require further study and are hereby considered not conspecific with P. zardoyai .

Figures

Fig. 21. Profundiconus zardoyai Tenorio, 2015. A. Holotype, Grand Passage, 325–330 m depth, 10.5 mm (MNHN-IM-2000-28206). B. N New Caledonia, 444‒452 m depth, 10.6 mm. C. N New Caledonia, 325–330 m depth, 10.2 mm. D. Same collection data as for specimen C, 11 mm. E. N New Caledonia, 264‒270 m depth, 12.9 mm. F. Grand Passage, 270 m depth, 11 mm. G. Off New Caledonia, 380‒400 m depth, 11.5 mm. H. Grand Passage, 344‒360 m depth, 11 mm. I. Same collection data as for specimen C, 10.8 mm. J. Secteur des Belep, off New Caledonia, 335 m depth, 12.1 mm K. Norfolk Ridge, 311‒330 m depth, 10.4 mm. L. Protoconch of holotype (MNHN-IM-2000-28206). M. Radular tooth of specimen from N New Caledonia, 325‒330 m depth, 10.7 mm. Scale bars = 10 mm, unless otherwise stated.

Fig. 22. Bathymetric range and distribution map for Profundiconus zardoyai Tenorio, 2015. Red circles indicate the points where the species was collected.