Conasprella (Conasprella) aphrodite ( Petuch, 1979 )

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 : 40-42

Conasprella (Conasprella) aphrodite ( Petuch, 1979)

Figs 2 , 28–29

Conus aphrodite Petuch, 1979: 11 , fig. 34–35.

Conus aphrodite – R̂ckel et al. 1995b: no. 246, pl. 52 figs 31–34.

Conasprella aphrodite – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 85. — Monnier et al. 2018a: 193.

Material examined

42 lots (about 60 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype PHILIPPINES • 21 mm; Bohol Island, off Panglao ; 250 m depth; DMNH 126398 ( Fig. 28A ).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 17.6 mm; east coast, off New Caledonia, stn DW654; 21°17′ S, 165°57′ E; 237‒298 m depth; 12 Mar. 1993; BATHUS 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28B ) • 20.9 mm; Norfolk Ridge, off New Caledonia, stn DW175; 23º41′ S, 168º01′ E; 235‒240 m depth; 29 Jan. 1993; SMIB 8 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28C ) • 17.2 mm; east coast, off New Caledonia, stn DW654; 21°17′ S, 165°57′ E; 237‒298 m depth; 12 Mar. 1993; BATHUS 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28D ) • 23 mm; Norfolk Ridge, off New Caledonia, stn CP805; 23º41′ S, 168º01′ E; 278‒310 m depth; 27 Nov. 1993; BATHUS 3 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28E ) • 21.2 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc P, off New Caledonia, stn DW1723; 23º18′ S, 168º15′ E; 266–267 m depth; 27 Jun. 2001; NORFOLK 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28F ) • 18.4 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN ( Fig. 28G ) • 18.3 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Crypthélia, off New Caledonia, stn DW3075; 23°17′ S, 168°14′ E; 270 m depth; 23 Oct. 2008; TERRASSES expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28H ) • 17.4 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc P, off New Caledonia, stn DW1723; 23º18′ S, 168º15′ E; 266–267 m depth; 27 Jun. 2001; NORFOLK 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28I ) • 24.2 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Jumeau Ouest, off New Caledonia, stn CP3054; 23°42′ S, 168°01′ E; 240‒260 m depth; 20 Oct. 2008; TERRASSES expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28J ) • 15.5 mm; east coast, off New Caledonia, stn DW654; 21°17′ S, 165°57′ E; 237‒298 m depth; 12 Mar. 1993; BATHUS 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28K ) • 16.3 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Munida, off New Caledonia, stn DW3100; 22°59′ S, 168°23′ E; 260–320 m depth; 27 Oct. 2008; TERRASSES expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 28L ) • 18 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Kaimon Maru, off New Caledonia, stn DW11; 24º46.7′ S, 168º08.3′ E; 254‒283 m; 11 Aug. 1999; LITHIST expedition ( Fig. 28M ).

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

Ryukyu Islands and the Philippines at depths between 120– 380 m. In New Caledonia the species has been sampled mainly at Norfolk Ridge, but also at the Loyalty Islands, the Grand Passage area and the Coral Sea (Lansdowne Bank) at depths between 100 and 400 m. Some isolated specimens come from more than 700 m deep. The species has also been cited from Wallis & Futuna (Moolenbeek & R̂ckel 1996) and Polynesia ( Rabiller & Richard 2014).

Remarks

Shell small to moderately small (maximum shell length 25 mm), conical, with a moderate, slightly stepped spire of concave outline. Protoconch multispiral of 3.25 to 3.5 whorls ( Fig. 28L ). Radular tooth ( Fig. 28M ) small, with a barb and a pointed blade covering about one third of the anterior section, which is much shorter than the posterior section. Shaft fold present. Basal spur is present on top of the large, slanted base. Specimens from New Caledonia are morphologically similar to those from the Philippines. One specimen from this locality has been sequenced, and it appears sister to other species of Conasprella in the phylogeny ( Fig. 2 ). No specimens of C. aphrodite from New Caledonia have been sequenced.

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. 28. Conasprella (Conasprella) aphrodite (Petuch, 1979). A. Holotype, Bohol Island, off Panglao, Philippines, 250 m depth, 21 mm (DMNH 126398).B. East coast, off New Caledonia, 237‒298 m depth, 17.6 mm. C. Norfolk Ridge, 235‒240 m depth, 20.9 mm. D. Same collection data as for specimen B, 17.2 mm. E. Norfolk Ridge, 278‒310 m depth, 23 mm. F. Norfolk Ridge, Banc P, 266–267 m depth, 21.2 mm. G. Same collection data as for specimen F, 18.4 mm. H. Norfolk Ridge, Banc Crypthélia, 270 m depth, 18.3 mm. I. Same collection data as for specimen F, 17.4 mm. J. Norfolk Ridge, Banc Jumeau Ouest, 240‒260 m depth, 24.2 mm. K. Same collection data as for specimen B, 15.5 mm. L. Protoconch of specimen from Norfolk Ridge, Banc Munida, 260–320 m depth. M. Radular tooth of specimen from Norfolk Ridge, Banc Kaimon Maru, 254‒283, 18 mm. Scale bars = 10 mm, unless otherwise stated.

Fig. 29. Bathymetric range and distribution map for Conasprella (Conasprella) aphrodite (Petuch, 1979). Red circles indicate the points where the species was collected.