Varioconus belairensis ( Pin & Leung Tack in Pin, 1989a ) Tenorio & Abalde & Pardos-Blas & Cmim, 2020

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 : 63

Varioconus belairensis ( Pin & Leung Tack in Pin, 1989a) comb. nov.

Fig. 10D

Conus belairensis Pin & Leung Tack in Pin, 1989a: 33 , pl. 1, figs 2–4, pl. 2A, figs 1–2.

Conus belairensis – Monteiro et al. 2004: 27, pl. 36.

Material examined

Holotype

SENEGAL • 36.7 mm; Pointe de Bel-Air , south coast of Dakar; MNHN IM-2000-32668 ( Fig. 10D ).

Other material

SENEGAL • 1 spec.; Terrou-Bi, Dakar; 14º40ʹ28ʺ N, 17º28ʹ9ʺ W; 4 Jul. 2015; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: KY801849 ; MNCN 15.05/78504 .

Geographical distribution

Dakar area including Madeleine Island, and to the south along the Petite Côte, Senegal.

Conservation status in IUCN Red List

Endangered. Status revision required.

Remarks

This is a valid, phenotypically variable species, which is closer to V. reticulatus than to V. mercator , both phylogenetically and according to its radular morphology ( Abalde et al. 2017b). The distinction between V. belairensis and V. reticulatus based upon conchological or even radular features might not be effective in all cases. Whereas the original population from Bel-Air in Dakar seems to be extinct due to pollution from the large harbor of the city, the species occurs in many other locations around Dakar and to the south. As it happens with most species of cone snails living on the peninsula of Dakar, the individuals seem to have adapted very well to anthropogenic conditions, and populations thrive even in densely populated areas as long as they are not affected by chemical contamination, i.e., fuel from port activities.

Figures

Fig. 10 (opposite page). A. Conus ambiguus Reeve, 1844, neotype, 39.3 mm (NBC). B. Conus bellocqae van Rossum, 1996,paratype,60 mm(F.Gubbiolicoll.,Marbella, Spain).C. Monteiroconustabidus (Reeve, 1844), 33.6 mm (MNCN 15.05/78864). D. Conus belairensis Pin & Leung Tack in Pin, 1989, holotype, 36.7 mm (MNHN IM-2000-32668). E. Varioconus bruguieresi (Kiener, 1846) comb. nov., 32.1 mm (MNCN 15.05/78497). F. Varioconus cloveri (Walls, 1978) comb. nov., 23.2 mm (MNCN 15.05/78457). G. Varioconus echinophilus (Petuch, 1975b) comb. nov., 22.0. mm (MNCN 15.05/90430). H. Conus franciscanus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792, lectotype, 56.6 mm (MHNG-MOLL-52625). I. Varioconus franciscanus (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792) comb. nov., 53.6 mm (MNCN 15.05/78491). J. Varioconus franciscanus f. hybridus (Kiener, 1847), 40.0 mm (MNCN 15.05/78427). K. Conus guanche Lauer, 1993, holotype, 34.0 mm (MNHN IM-2000-2553). L. Conus guinaicus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792, lectotype, 43.0 mm (MHNG-MOLL-52638). M. Varioconus guinaicus (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792) comb. nov., 50.2 mm (MNCN 15.05/78443). N. Lautoconus wolof Petuch & Berschauer, 2018, holotype, 21.1 mm (MNHN IM-2000-34015). O. Conus pineaui Pin & Leung Tack in Pin, 1989, holotype, 28.7 mm (MNHN IM-2000-2528). P. Conus dorotheae Monnier & Limpalaër, 2010, holotype, 26.8 mm (MNHN IM-2009-8702). Scale bars = 10 mm.