Conasprella (Fusiconus) comatosa ( Pilsbry, 1904 )

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 : 59-61

Conasprella (Fusiconus) comatosa ( Pilsbry, 1904)

Figs 2 , 43A–H, L , 44

Conus comatosa Pilsbry, 1904: 550 (nomen novum for Conus dormitor Pilsbry, 1904 – non Conus dormitor Solander in Brander, 1766).

Conus dormitor Pilsbry, 1904: 6 , pl. I figs 9, 9a.

Conus comatosa – R̂ckel et al. 1995b: 266, pl. 56 figs 16–20.

Bathyconus comatosa – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 146.

Fusiconus (Bathyconus) comatosus – Monnier et al. 2018a: 165.

Material examined

30 lots (48 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Lectotype (of C. dormitor ) JAPAN • 43.5 mm; Kikai Island , Ryukyu Islands; ANSP 85950 ( Fig. 43A ).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 46.8 mm; S Lansdowne, off New Caledonia , stn DW2632; 21º05′ S, 160º45′ E; 297‒378 m depth; 21 Oct. 2005; EBISCO expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 43B ) • 40 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Antigonia, off New Caledonia , stn CP1716; 23º22′ S, 168º03′ E; 266‒276 m depth; 26 Jun. 2001; NORFOLK 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 43C ) • 37.6 mm; SE Terrasses, off New Caledonia, stn DW3093; 22°06′ S, 167°03′ E; 190‒200 m depth; 26 Oct. 2008; TERRASSES expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 43D ) • 39.5 mm; SE Terrasses, off New Caledonia, stn DW3093; 22°06′ S, 167°03′ E; 190‒200 m depth; 26 Oct. 2008; TERRASSES expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 43E ) • 37.7 mm; Baie du Santal, sinking towards the SW of Récif Shelter, off New Caledonia , stn DW1650; 20°54′ S, 167°02′ E; 120‒250 m depth; Nov. 2000; LIFOU 2000 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 43F ) • 41.8 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Munida, off New Caledonia , stn DW2135; 23º02′ S, 168º21′ E; 295‒330 m depth; 3 Nov. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 43G ) • 41.8 mm; Baie du Santal, sinking towards the SW of Récif Shelter, off New Caledonia , stn DW1650; 20°54′ S, 167°02′ E; 120‒250 m depth; Nov. 2000; LIFOU 2000 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 43H )

PHILIPPINES • 34 mm; ER coll. ( Fig. 43L ).

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

Japan, Philippines, NW Australia, Solomon Islands and Vietnam, at depths between 80‒ 400 m. Widely distributed around New Caledonia, Loyalty Ridge and in the Coral Sea, typically at depths between 200 and 400 m.

Remarks

Shell narrowly conical, moderately small to medium-sized (maximum length 50 mm), with a moderate to high spire. The dark brown color of the anterior end of the body whorl is a distinctive character for this species. Protoconch ( Fig. 43H ) multispiral of about 3.5 whorls. Radular tooth ( Fig. 43L ) small, with a barb, a pointed blade, and a very small pointed posterior blade, difficult to detect. The anterior section of the tooth is much shorter than the posterior section. Shaft fold present, blunt at its anterior end. Basal spur is present on top of the slanted base. Specimens from New Caledonia are similar in morphology to those from Japan and the Philippines. In the phylogeny ( Fig. 2 ), the only specimen sequenced appears sister to Bathyconus coriolisi .

Figures

Fig. 2. Cox1-based Bayesian phylogeny. Posterior probabilities (> 0.95) and bootstrap values (> 90) from the ML analysis are provided for each node. Intraspecific relationships are collapsed. Subgenus names are indicated on the right.

Fig. 43. A–H. Conasprella (Fusiconus) comatosa (Pilsbry, 1904). A. Holotype, Kikai Island, Ryukyu Islands, 43.5 mm (ANSP 85950). B. Coral Sea, S Lansdowne, 297‒378 m depth, 46.8 mm. C. Norfolk Ridge, Banc Antigonia, 266‒276 m depth, 40 mm. D. SE Terrasses, 190‒200 m depth, 37.6 mm. E. Same collection data as for specimen D, 39.5 mm. F. Baie du Santal, 120‒250 m depth, 37.7 mm. G. Norfolk Ridge, Banc Munida, 295‒330 m depth, 41.8 mm. H. Protoconch of a specimen from stn DW1650, LIFOU 2000 exp. – I–K. Conasprella (Fusiconus) saecularis (Melvill, 1898). I. Syntype, Oman, Malcolm Inlet (Ghubbat al Ghazira), Persian Gulf, 44 m depth, 29 mm (NHMUK). J. W Île des Pins, off New Caledonia, 79 m depth, 24 mm (MNHN-IM-2013-68093). K. S Lansdowne Bank, 360‒400 m depth, 32.3 mm (MNHN-IM-2016-4388). – L. C. (F.) comatosa. Radular tooth of a specimen from the Philippines, 34 mm (ER coll.). – M. C. (F.) saecularis. Radular tooth of a specimen from the Philippines, 34 mm (ER coll.) Scale bars = 10 mm, unless otherwise stated.

Fig. 44. Bathymetric range and distribution map for Conasprella (Fusiconus) comatosa (Pilsbry, 1904). Red circles indicate the points where the species was collected.