Africonus decoratus ( Röckel, Rolán & Monteiro, 1980 )

Tenorio, Manuel J., Abalde, Samuel, Pardos-Blas, José R. & Zardoya, Rafael, 2020, Taxonomic revision of West African cone snails (Gastropoda: Conidae) based upon mitogenomic studies: implications for conservation, European Journal of Taxonomy 663 (663), pp. 1-89 : 20

Africonus decoratus ( Röckel, Rolán & Monteiro, 1980) Fig. 3L , 5L

Conus decoratus Röckel et al., 1980a: 61 , pl. II, figs 29–33.

Conus decoratus – Monteiro et al. 2004: 38, pls 119–120, figs 1–2, 4–8.

Material examined

Holotype

CABO VERDE • 20.6 mm; São Vicente Island, Matiota Beach ; 1 to 3 m depth; NMSF.

Other material

CABO VERDE • 1 spec., 23.1 mm; Santa Luzia Island, Curral ; 16º46ʹ23ʺ N, 24º47ʹ13ʺ W; 14 Apr. 2016; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491603 ; MNCN 15.05/78589 ( Fig. 3L ) • 1 spec., 30.5 mm; Santa Luzia Island, Praia de Palmo Tostão ; 16º45ʹ19ʺ N, 24º45ʹ24ʺ; 14 Apr. 2016; MNCN exped.; MNCN 15.05/78578 ( Fig. 5L ) .

Geographical distribution

Calhau to Saragaça, on the southeast coast of São Vicente Island, and Curral area, on the southwest coast of Santa Luzia Island, Cabo Verde Archipelago.

Conservation status in IUCN Red List

Vulnerable.

Remarks

This species belongs to a lineage that includes species endemic to the westernmost islands in the Cabo Verde Archipelago and is sister to species from Santiago and Maio islands. Despite obvious differences in shell morphology, the species sister to A. decoratus according to the phylogeny is A. grahami . The type locality from which A. decoratus was originally described is now part of a large and touristic urban area in the vicinity of the modern Port of Mindelo. This population ( decoratus form A in Röckel et al. 1980a) is believed to be now extinct, but specimens from other population ( decoratus form B in Röckel et al. 1980a) are occasionally found on the east coast of São Vicente Island from Calhau to Saragaça, and more commonly on the deserted island of Santa Luzia, where the specimens used in the present study were collected. This beautifully patterned species shows some degree of variation in its background color, which ranges from light brown to black.

Figures

Fig. 3 (opposite page). A. Africonus antoniaensis Cossignani & Fiadeiro, 2014, 14.5 mm (MNCN 15.05/79889). B. Conus antoniomonteiroi Rolán, 1990,holotype, 16.8 mm (MNCN 15.05/1100). C. Conus bellulus Rolán, 1990, holotype, 18.9 mm (MNCN 15.05/1098). D. Conus boavistensis Rolán & Fernandes in Rolán, 1990, holotype, 13.2 mm (MNCN, 15.05/1089). E. Africonus borgesi (Trovão, 1979), 30.5 mm (MNCN 15.05/88646). F. Conus navarroi calhetae Rolán, 1990, holotype, 26.8 mm (MNCN 15.05/1096). G. Conus crotchii Reeve, 1849, neotype, 22.5 mm (MNCN 15.05/79971). H. Conus irregularis G.B. Sowerby II, 1858, lectotype, 28.3 mm (NHMUK 197871/1). I. Africonus cuneolus (Reeve, 1843), 28.2 mm (MNCN, 15.05/79712). J. Conus curralensis Rolán, 1986, holotype, 17 mm (MNCN 15.05/1010). K. Africonus damottai (Trovão, 1979), 18.2 mm (MNCN 15.05/80401). L. Africonus decoratus (Röckel, Rolán & Monteiro, 1980), 23.1 mm (MNCN 15.05/78589). M. Africonus delanoyae (Trovão, 1979), 27.6 mm (MNCN 15.05/80397). N. Africonus denizi Afonso & Tenorio, 2011, holotype, 11.6 mm (MNCN 15.05/60000). O. Conus diminutus Trovão & Rolán, 1986, neotype, 14.8 mm (MNCN 15.05/80416). P. Africonus espingueirensis Cossignani & Fiadeiro, 2017, holotype, 9.7 mm (MMM). Scale bars = 10 mm .

Fig. 5 (opposite page). A–J, M. Africonus insulae sp. nov. A–B. Holotype (dorsal and ventral views), 23.9 mm (MNCN 15.05/78581). C. Paratype 1, 20.0 mm (MNCN 15.05/78585). D. Paratype 2, 18.8 mm (MNHN IM-2000-35016). E. Paratype 3, 16.2 mm (MNCN 15.05/78586). F. Paratype 4, 24.1 mm (MNCN 15.05/78579). G. Paratype 5, 19.1mm (MNCN 15.05/78590). H. Paratype 6, 23.0 mm (MNCN 15.05/78582). I. Paratype 7, 22.6 mm (MNCN 15.05/78584). J. Paratype 8, 24.9 mm (UCV 2019/00015). K. Africonus curralensis (Rolán, 1986), 23.0 mm (MNCN 15.05/78591). L. Africonus decoratus (Röckel, Rolán & Monteiro, 1980), 30.5 mm (MNCN 15.05/78578). M. Radular tooth, Africonus insulae sp. nov., Curral, Santa Luzia Island, Cabo Verde (MJT), SL = 29.2 mm. Scale bars = 10 mm unless otherwise indicated.