Cone Collector’s Guide: What’s New 2014
Any significant news and changes in 2014 are summarised here and they will be integrated as
appropriate into the next release of the main files of the Paul Kersten checklist. These main files
were last updated in December 2014.
Events reported up to December 2013 from the launch of the website, will be found in WhatsNew
2013 section.
December 2014.
New cone, Graphiconus indomaris from India, published in Malacologia v85 by Luigi Bozzetti.
For more information: (www.malacologia.org).
Indomaris holotype MNHN
October 2014.
7 New Cones published in Xenophora 5
For more information www.xenophora.org
Three new cones from Angola described by António Monteiro, Carlos Afonso, Manuel J. Tenorio,
José Rosado & David Pirinhas
Varioconus inesae holotype
Varioconus medvedevi holotype
Varioconus petuchi holotype
3 new species described in Xenophora 5 by Michael Rabiller and George Richard. These specimens
were obtained by deep water research dredging in French Polynesia.
Conus aito holotype
Conus paumotu holotype
Conus tarava holotype
New cone from Moorea, French Polynesia described by Monnier & Limpalaër.
Leporiconus pomareae holotype
September 2014.
Two significant papers published based on results of a DNA analysis of a comprehensive sample of
Cone species.
The first paper as published May 2014 in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
Molecular phylogeny and evolution of the cone snails (Gastropoda, Conoidea).
Puillandre N, Bouchet P, Duda TF Jr, Kauferstein S, Kohn AJ, Olivera BM, Watkins M, Meyer C.
It concludes that Conidae is one family with 4 Genera; Cone, Conasprella, Profundiconus and
Californiconus.
“We present a large-scale molecular phylogeny that includes 320 of the 761 recognized valid species
of the cone snails (Conus), one of the most diverse groups of marine molluscs, based on three
mitochondrial genes (COI, 16S rDNA and 12S rDNA). This is the first phylogeny of the taxon to
employ concatenated sequences of several genes, and it includes more than twice as many species
as the last published molecular phylogeny of the entire group nearly a decade ago. Most of the
numerous molecular phylogenies published during the last 15years are limited to rather small
fractions of its species diversity. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses are mostly congruent
and confirm the presence of three previously reported highly divergent lineages among cone snails,
and one identified here using molecular data. About 85% of the species cluster in the single Large
Major Clade; the others are divided between the Small Major Clade (∼12%), the Conus californicus
lineage (one species), and a newly defined clade (∼3%). We also define several subclades within the
Large and Small major clades, but most of their relationships remain poorly supported. To illustrate
the usefulness of molecular phylogenies in addressing specific evolutionary questions, we analyse
the evolution of the diet, the biogeography and the toxins of cone snails. All cone snails whose
feeding biology is known inject venom into large prey animals and swallow them whole. Predation
on polychaete worms is inferred as the ancestral state, and diet shifts to molluscs and fishes
occurred rarely. The ancestor of cone snails probably originated from the Indo-Pacific; rather few
colonisations of other biogeographic provinces have probably occurred. A new classification of the
Conidae, based on the molecular phylogeny, is published in an accompanying paper. “
The second paper was published in August in Journal of Molluscan studies.
One, four or 100 genera? A new classification of the cone snails: N. Puillandre, T. F. Duda, C. Meyer,
B. M. Olivera and P. Bouchet.
“We present a new classification for the genus Conus sensu lato (family Conidae), based on
molecular phylogenetic analyses of 329 species. This classification departs from both the traditional
classification in only one genus and from a recently proposed shell- and radula-based classification
scheme that separates members of this group into five families and 115 genera. Roughly 140 genusgroup names are available for Recent cone snails. We propose to place all cone snails within a single
family (Conidae) containing four genera—Conus, Conasprella, Profundiconus and Californiconus
(with Conus alone encompassing about 85% of known species)—based on the clear separation of
cone snails into four distinct and well-supported groups/lineages in molecular phylogenetic analyses.
Within Conus and Conasprella, we recognize 57 and 11 subgenera, respectively, that represent wellsupported subgroupings within these genera, which we interpret as evidence of intrageneric
distinctiveness. We allocate the 803 Recent species of Conidae listed as valid in the World Register of
Marine Species into these four genera and 71 subgenera, with an estimate of the confidence for
placement of species in these taxonomic categories based on whether molecular or radula and/or
shell data were used in these determinations. Our proposed classification effectively departs from
previous schemes by (1) limiting the number of accepted genera, (2) retaining the majority of
species within the genus Conus and (3) assigning members of these genera to species
groups/subgenera to enable the effective communication of these groups, all of which we hope will
encourage acceptance of this scheme.”
September 2014.
Five new conus described from Cape Verde islands by Tiziano Cossignani and Ramiro Fiadeiro in
Malacologia 84.
Africonus umbelinae, Africonus calhetinensis, Africonus docensis, Africonus gonsalensis, Africonus
nelsontiagoi.
Africonus umbelinae
Africonus calhetinensis
Africonus gonsalensis
Africonus nelsontiagoi
Africonus docensis
August 2014.
New cone Conus conco from Marquesas published by N. Puillandre and 8 co authors in the on line
magazine: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 80 (2014) 186–192.
Conus conco holotype
Journal webpage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev
August 2014.
Availability of new book
Conus of the Southeastern United States and Caribbean Alan J. Kohn ISBN: 9780691135380
This beautifully illustrated book identifies 53 valid species of the
southeastern United States and the Caribbean, a region that
supports a diverse but taxonomically challenging group of
Conus. Introductory chapters cover the evolution and phylogeny
of the genus, and notes on methodology are provided. Detailed
species accounts describe key identification features, taxonomy,
distribution, ecology, toxicology, life history, and evolutionary
relationships. The book includes more than 2,100 photos of
shells on 109 splendid color plates;
For more information : http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10229.html
July 2014.
Six new cones from Brazil published in Xenophora Taxonomy 4 by Ed Petuch and Robert Myers
hazinorum holotype
damasomonteiroi holotype
mariaodeteae holotype
marinae holotype
tonisii holotype
pomponeti holotype
For more information www.xenophora.org
June 2014.
New deep water cone from Curacao described by M. G. Harasewych in Nautilus 128(2)
Attenuiconus marileeae
A. marileeae holotype
May 2014.
Four new cones from Cape Verde Islands described by Tiziano Cossignani and Ramiro Fiadeiro in
Malacologia 83. (www.malacologia.org).
Africonus marcocastellazzii and A. cossignani from Maio ; Africonus morroensis and A. antoniaensis
from Boavista.
A.antoniaensis
A.marcocastellazzii
A.cossignani
A.morroensis
April 2014.
Three papers published in Xenophora Taxonomy V3 with descriptions of new cones.
For more information www.xenophora.org
New cone from Fiji, described by Monnier & Limpalaër
santinii holotype
Three new cones from Cape Verde Islands described by Afonso & Tenorio
condei holotype
gonsaloi holotype
santanaensis holotype
Eleven new cones described by Ed Petuch and Robert Myers from Brasil and Caribbean.
arawak holotype
berschaueri holotype
ericmonnieri holotype
henriquei holotype
honkerorum holotype
ogum holotype
poremskii holotype
simonei holotype
coltrorum holotype
herndli holotype
patriceae holotype
February 2014.
Ten new cones described in Malacologia 82 (www.malacologia.org)
Tiziano Cossignani describes in Italian a series of new cones from Boavista and Sal in the Cape Verde
Islands.
antonioi holotype
calabroi holotype
bernardinoi holotype
diegoi holotype
salletae holotype
silviae holotype
wandae holotype
zinhoi holotype
cagarralensis holotype
joserochoi holotype
Cossignani also describes Jaspidiconus alexandremonteiroi from E Nicaragua
alexandremonteiroi holotype
January 2014.
Three new cones described in Xenophora Taxonomy supplement 2
For more information www.xenophora.org
Two cones from Cape Verde Islands are described by phylogenetic, radular and morphological
comparison. Africonus swinneni from Boavista is compared with A. borgesi, A. luquei and
A.delanoyae.
Africonus fiadeiroi from Derrubado is compared with A. salreiensis and A. delanoyae.
A. swinneni holotype
A. fiadeiroi holotype
A third cone Profundiconus stahlschmidti is described form Sulawesi, Indonesia by Manuel
Tenorio and John Tucker.
A small shell 6 to 13mm found in shell grit. It
is a challenge to similar species for
comparison other than P. pacificus and
juveniles of P. scopulicola and M.
cylindraceus.
Profudiconus stahlschmidti holotype.
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