Conus ( Turriconus ) andremenezi (Olivera & Biggs, 2010 )

Conus ( Turriconus) andremenezi (Olivera & Biggs, 2010) View in CoL

Figs 2 View Fig , 87A–H, L–M View Fig , 88 View Fig

Conus andremenezi Olivera & Biggs View in CoL in Biggs et al., 2010: 4, figs 1–2, 6.

Turriconus andremenezi View in CoL – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 83.

Turriconus ( Turriconus) andremenezi View in CoL – Monnier et al. 2018a: 339.

Material examined

20 lots ( 24 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype PHILIPPINES • 36.7 mm; Aliguay Island ; 150 m depth; Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines ( Fig. 87A View Fig ).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 47.1 mm; along Passe d’Ounia, off New Caledonia, stn CP3823; 21°55′ S, 166°55′ E; 246‒255 m depth; 7 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87B View Fig ) GoogleMaps • 40.4 mm; along Passe d’Ounia, off New Caledonia, stn CP3827; 21°58′ S, 166°57′ E; 220‒232 m depth; 8 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87C View Fig ) GoogleMaps • 43.3 mm; Passe du Solitaire, off New Caledonia, stn CP3813; 21°46′ S, 166°38′ E; 251‒281 m depth; 6 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig.89D View Fig ) GoogleMaps • 44.2 mm; along Toupeti, off New Caledonia, stn CP3806; 21°42′ S, 166°34′ E; 307‒309 m depth; 5 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87E View Fig ) GoogleMaps • 45.5 mm; along Passe d’Ounia, off New Caledonia, stn CP3827; 21°58′ S, 166°57′ E; 220‒232 m depth; 8 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87F View Fig ) GoogleMaps • 44.7 mm; off SE New Caledonia, stn CP853; 21º45′ S, 166º37′ E; 241‒250 m depth; 19 Mar. 1994; HALIPRO 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87G, L View Fig ) GoogleMaps • 32.6 mm; off east coast New Caledonia, stn CP712; 21º44′ S, 166º35′ E; 210 m depth; 19 Mar. 1993; BATHUS 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87H, M View Fig ) GoogleMaps .

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

Philippines, eastern Malaysia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. In New Caledonia it is present along the south-eastern coast, Coral Sea, Norfolk Ridge and Loyalty Islands, at depths between 220‒ 232 m.

Remarks

Medium-sized biconical shell (maximum shell length 53 mm) with a high spire of concave outline. Last whorl with raised, often nodulose spiral ribs. Protoconch multispiral of about 3.5 whorls ( Fig. 87L View Fig ). Last whorl off-white ground color with purplish-brown spots, which may cover several spiral ribs and extend into the interspaces. There is a great variability in shell shape and pattern. Radular tooth ( Fig. 87M View Fig ) with the anterior section shorter than the posterior section. Tooth serrated with 8–9 denticles arranged in one row, ending on a very large and pointed cusp. Barb very large, sharp and pointed. Blade reduced, indistinct, restricted to the apical portion. Basal spur absent or vestigial. Base rounded. Conus ( Turriconus) andremenezi is most similar to Conus ( T.) praecellens A. Adams, 1854 , and is difficult to separate from it based on conchological features only. Furthermore, C. ( T.) praecellens constitutes a species complex, and at least some of the species have been disentangled using morphological and DNA approaches ( Biggs et al. 2010). We have examined 20 lots containing 24 praecellens -like specimens from New Caledonia. Seven of these specimens were sequenced, and they all grouped together in a clade which also contained the holotype of C. ( T.) andremenezi ( Fig. 2 View Fig ). Hence, all these specimens were identified as C. ( T.) andremenezi . The non-sequenced or dead collected specimens have been tentatively identified as C. ( T.) andremenezi as well, based on shell morphology. However, some of these specimens might actually correspond to another species within the C. ( T.) praecellens complex. At this stage we can only confirm the occurrence of C. ( T.) andremenezi in New Caledonia.