Conus (Phasmoconus) richeri Richard & Moolenbeek, 1988

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 : 96-98

Conus (Phasmoconus) richeri Richard & Moolenbeek, 1988

Figs 71–72

Conus richeri Richard & Moolenbeek, 1988: 233 , pl. 1 figs 1–5, 10.

Conus richeri – R̂ckel et al. 1995b: no. 194, pl. 43 figs 21–23.

Graphiconus richeri – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 347.

Phasmoconus (Phasmoconus) richeri – Monnier et al. 2018a: 726.

Material examined

66 lots (101 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype NEW CALEDONIA • 40 mm; north Lagoon , off New Caledonia, stn DW500; 19°04.30′ S, 163°30.50′ E; 225 m depth; 4 Mar. 1985; LAGON expedition; MNHN-IM-2000-2520 ( Fig. 71A ).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 52.9 mm; south of Grande‒Terre , off New Caledonia, stn DW378; 22º39′ S, 167º10′ E; 70‒72 m depth; 21 Jan. 1985; LAGON expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71B ) • 55.9 mm; off New Caledonia , Secteur des Belep, stn DW1148; 19º07′ S, 163º30′ E; 220 m depth; 28 Oct. 1989; LAGON expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71C ) • 61.8 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW933; 19°07′ S, 163°29′ E; 212‒220 m depth; 8 Aug. 1994; BATHUS 4 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71D ) • 57.9 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN ( Fig. 71E ) • 57.6 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN ( Fig. 71F ) • 53.9 mm; SW slope of the Dumbéa Pass , off New Caledonia, stn DW725; 22°47′ S, 167°27′ E; 217 m depth; 12 May 1993; BATHUS 2 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71G ) • 57.9 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW3018; 19°07′ S, 163°28′ E; 199‒215 m depth; 9 May 2008; CONCALIS expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71H ) • 52.3 mm; SW slope of the Dumbéa pass, off New Caledonia, stn DW726; 22°47′ S, 167°29′ E; 241‒260 m depth; 12 May 1993; BATHUS 2 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71I ) • 53.8 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW3019; 19°05′ S, 163°28′ E; 242‒253 m depth; 9 May 2008; CONCALIS expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71J ) • 36.9 mm; off New Caledonia , stn DW186; 19º07′ S, 163º30′ E; 190 m depth; 19 Sep. 1985; MUSORSTOM 4 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71K ) • size unknown; Norfolk Ridge , Banc Antigonia, off New Caledonia, stn DW1712; 23º23′ S, 168º02′ E; 180‒250 m depth; 26 Jun. 2001; NORFOLK 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 71L ) • 59.3 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW3016; 19°05′ S, 163°28′ E; 244‒252 m depth; 9 May 2008; CONCALIS expedition; Atheris coll. ( Fig. 71M ) .

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

New Caledonia: Norfolk Ridge, Grand Passage area, Loyalty Ridge and Coral Sea (Lansdowne and Capel Banks), at depths between 100 to 300 m. This species can be considered endemic.

Remarks

Shell medium-sized to moderately large (maximum shell length 62 mm). Conical to ventricosely conical, with a low to moderate spire of deeply concave outline. Protoconch multispiral ( Fig. 71L ) of more than 3 whorls. Last whorl patterned with spiral rows of orange to reddish brown blotches alternating with white. Patternless white shells do exist ( Fig. 71F ). Radular tooth ( Fig. 71M ) with the anterior section slightly shorter than the posterior section. The tooth is serrated with 8–10 denticles arranged in one single row. Elongated terminating cusp present. Barb well marked. Blade rounded, covering about 30% of the anterior section of the tooth. Basal spur on top of a rather large base. The specimens sequenced form a clade sister to C. (P.) kuroharai . This species, endemic to the EEZ, is one of the most characteristic representatives of the New Caledonian deep-water cone fauna, and it is fairly common in the localities where it has been sampled.

Figures

Fig. 71. Conus (Phasmoconus) richeri Richard & Moolenbeek, 1988. A. Holotype, Lagon Nord, New Caledonia, 225 m depth, 47.9 mm (MNHN-IM-2000-2520). B. South of Grande‒Terre, off New Caledonia, 70‒72 m depth, 52.9 mm. C. Secteur des Belep, off New Caledonia, 220 m depth, 55.9 mm. D. Grand Passage, 212‒220 m depth, 61.8 mm. E. Same collection data as for specimen D, 57.9 mm. F. Same collection data as for specimen D, 57.6 mm. G. SW slope of the Dumbéa Pass, off New Caledonia, 217 m depth, 53.9 mm. H. Grand Passage, 199‒215 m depth, 57.9 mm. I. SW slope of the Dumbéa Pass, off New Caledonia, 241‒260 m depth, 52.3 mm. J. Grand Passage, 242‒253 m depth, 53.8 mm. K. Off New Caledonia, 190 m depth, 36.9 mm. L. Protoconch of a specimen from Banc Antigonia, Norfolk Ridge. M. Radular tooth of specimen from Grand Passage, 244‒252 m depth, 59.3 mm. Scale bars = 10 mm, unless otherwise stated.

Fig. 72. Bathymetric range and distribution map for Conus (Phasmoconus) richeri Richard & Moolenbeek, 1988. Red circles indicate the points where the species was collected.