Africonus crotchii (Reeve, 1849)

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 : 15-16

Africonus crotchii (Reeve, 1849)

Fig. 3G

Conus crotchii Reeve, 1849 : pl. VI, sp. 254.

Conus irregularis G.B. Sowerby II, 1858: 29 , pl. 18 (204), figs 418–419.

Conus salreiensis Rolán, 1980: 84 , pl. 2, fig. 1.

Conus iberogermanicus Röckel et al., 1980a: 75 , figs 48–50.

Conus poppei Elsen, 1983: 185 , fig. 5.

Conus teodorae Rolán & Fernandes in Rolán, 1990: 17 , pl. 1, fig. 5.

Conus evorai Monteiro et al., 1995: 8 , pl. 1–4.

Africonus fiadeiroi Tenorio et al., 2014: 12 , pl. 3.

Africonus condei Afonso & Tenorio, 2014: 52 , pl. 3, figs 1–7.

Africonus antonioi Cossignani, 2014: 28 . syn. nov.

Africonus cabraloi Cossignani, 2014: 23 .

Africonus calhetinensis Cossignani & Fiadeiro, 2014b: 22 . syn. nov.

Africonus docensis Cossignani & Fiadeiro, 2014b: 24 .

Africonus josegeraldoi Cossignani & Fiadeiro, 2018a: 17 . syn. nov.

Conus crotchii – Monteiro et al. 2004: 35, pls 112 and 157.

Conus evorai – Monteiro et al. 2004: 42, pl. 79.

Conus irregularis – Monteiro et al. 2004: 53, pls 100–102, pl. 103, figs 2–3, 5.

Conus salreiensis – Monteiro et al. 2004: 35, pls 112 and 157.

Conus teodorae – Monteiro et al. 2004: 75, pl. 80.

Material examined

Holotype (not examined)

Holotype was in collection H. Cuming, present whereabouts unknown; reference is figure 254 on plate 6 of Reeve (1849). Three specimens in the NHMUK type collection were formerly labeled as “probable syntypes ”, but these were not part of the type material. Given the relevance of this polymorphic taxon as an important reference for the Cabo Verde cone fauna, we hereby designate a neotype matching the figure in Reeve (1849). The originally stated type locality “Saldanha Bay, South Africa ” was erroneous and it was corrected to Santa Mónica , Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde Archipelago ( Coomans et al. 1985a).

Neotype (here designated)

CABO VERDE • 22.5 mm; Boa Vista Island, Santa Mónica ; 15º59′0″ N, 22º53′11″ W; 22 Apr. 2015; MNCN exped.; MNCN 15.05/79971 ( Fig. 3G ).

Other material

CABO VERDE • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Morro de Areia ; 16º5′24″ N, 22º57′7″ W; 22 Apr. 2015; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491591 ; MNCN 15.05/79944 • 1 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491593 ; MNCN 15.05/79953 • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Estancinha ; 16º13′12″ N, 22º55′9″ W; 24 Apr. 2015; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491598 ; MNCN 15.05/80004 • 1 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491597 ; MNCN 15.05/79997 • 1 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491596 ; MNCN 15.05/79994 • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Derrubado ; 16º13′31″ N, 22º47′17″ W; 29 Jun. 2013; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491542 ; MNCN 15.05/80392 • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Praia Zebraca (near Ilhéu do Galeão); 16º12′6″ N, 22º42′40″ W; 30 Jun. 2013; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491549 ; MNCN 15.05/80399 • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Água Doce ; 16º12′29″ N, 22º44′7″ W; 19 Apr. 2015; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491588 ; MNCN 15.05/79894 • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Derrubado ( bay West ); 16º13′22″ N, 22º47′41″ W; 29 Jun. 2013; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491545 ; MNCN 15.05/80395 • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Baía das Gatas ; 16º11′50″ N, 22º42′32″ W; 30 Jun. 2013; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491550 ; MNCN 15.05/80400 • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Água Doce ; 16º12′29″ N, 22º44′7″ W; 19Apr. 2015; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491588 ; MNCN 15.05/79894 • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Ilhéu de Sal Rei ; 16º9′50″ N, 22º55′31″ W; 3 Jul. 2013; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491564 ; MNCN 15.05/80414 • 1 spec., 21.0 mm, holotype of Africonus antonioi ; Boa Vista Island, Baía Pequena ; MMM • 1 spec., 11.2 mm, holotype of Africonus calhetinhensis ; Boa Vista Island, Baía de Calhetinha Ilhéu do Galeão ; MMM • 1 spec., 18 mm, holotype of Africonus josegeraldoi ; Boa Vista Island, Baixa de Padaroso ; MMM .

Geographical distribution

Multiple localities around Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde Archipelago.

Conservation status in IUCN Red List

Endangered. Status revision required.

Remarks

The name crotchii has traditionally been applied to specimens from southwest Boa Vista Island matching figure 254 in Reeve (1849). However, based upon molecular phylogenetic studies, this has now been found to be the most senior name applicable to a large clade of specimens from multiple localities around Boa Vista Island with a very large phenotypic variability in shell pattern. Differences in radular morphology among the members of this clade are, however, rather subtle in agreement with the low DNA sequence divergence. This clade includes representative individuals of no less than 14 taxon names, which are now considered to be synonym (color forms) of the nominal taxon. Thus, the taxon A. salreiensis , which was initially classified within the category ‘critically endangered’ in the IUCN Red List, now shows to be a mere color form of A. crotchii distributed in and around the Sal Rei area in northwest Boa Vista Island. Similarly, the taxon A. irregularis also now becomes a junior syonym of A. crotchii . In the mitogenome phylogeny, the analyzed individuals of A. irregularis from different populations appear distributed in two separate clades. Most of the individuals fell into the A. crotchii clade, whereas two were recovered within the A. maioensis clade. In order to attribute the senior name to each of the clades, we needed first to identify which of the analyzed individuals matched the available type material of A. irregularis . There is a series of three syntypes of this taxon at the NHMUK “from West Africa” as the type locality. We hereby designate the specimen 197871/1 (dimensions: 28.3 × 18.1 mm) in the series as lectotype for the taxon Conus irregularis G.B. Sowerby II, 1858 ( Fig. 3H ). Specimens 197871/2 and 197871/3 from the same lot became paralectotypes. We consider that the specimens identified as A. irregularis from Estancinha, near Ponta do Sol in northwest Boa Vista match the type series at the NHMUK, and hence we propose a change in the type locality to Estancinha, north of Sal Rei, Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde Archipelago. The sequenced specimens of A. irregularis from Baía das Gatas, Morro de Areia and Estancinha were recovered within the A. crotchii clade, which becomes the senior name for this taxon. Being a polymorphic species, many of the recently introduced names could be assigned to the taxon A. crotchii . Thus, A. antonioi and A. josegeraldoi are morphologically related to A. crotchii form fiadeiroi , whereas the green color and small size of A. calhetinhensis most likely correspond to a juvenile specimen of the highly variable A. crotchii form irregularis .

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