Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, 60 (3/4) 257-262 (1990)

SPB Academie Publishing bv, The Hague

of stocki Notes on some from Oman, with description

n. sp. (; )

H.E. Coomans & R.G. Moolenbeek

Institute of Taxonomie Zoology (Zoölogisch Museum), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 4766,

1009 A T Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Keywords: Gastropoda, , Conus, Oman

Abstract ly by the English conchologists J.C. Melvill and R.

Standen between 1893 and 1915.

Several Conus species of the coast of Oman are revised. Conus In 1982 Dr. Donald and Mrs. Eloise Bosch pub- stocki n. sp. is described from Masïrah Island. For C. ardisia- lished a book on the seashells of Oman in which ceus Kiener, 1845, a neotype is designated.A lectotype is select- mainly the larger species are treated. The species of ed for C. luctificus Reeve, 1848. C. lischkeanus tropicensis Coo-

Indian the Conidae identified the late Wil- mans & Filmer, 1985, has a disjunct range in the Ocean. family were by

The recorded distribution of C. parvatus sharmiensis Wils, liam E. Old, who recognized 26 species. Dr. and

1986, is enlarged from the Red Sea to the coast of Oman. c. Mrs. Bosch have visited the Zoological Museum in quasimagnificus Da Motta, 1982, is provisionally considered a Amsterdam (ZMA) several times to discuss malaco- subspecies of C. pennaceus Born, 1778. logical problems concerning the Arabian Sea and

of the Gulf of Oman. In addition, samples many

Résumé species from their extensive collection of Omani

shells were kindly donated to our museum. This Conus Plusieurs espèces de des côtes d’Oman sont revues. Co- gave us the opportunity to revise some species of the nusstocki n. sp. est décrit des côtes de l’île Masïrah. Un néotype

family Conidae, and to describe a species new to est désigné pour C. ardisiaceus Kiener, 1845. Un lectotype est choisi C. 1848. C. lischkeanus science. pour luctificus Reeve, tropicensis

Coomans & Filmer, 1985, a une distribution disjointe dans l’Océan Indien. La distribution de C. parvatus sharmiensis Wils,

1986 est plus vaste que celle déjà connue:de la Mer Rouge aux Taxonomy côtes d’Oman. On considère provisoirement C. quasimagnificus

Da Motta, 1982, comme sous-espèce de C. pennaceus Born,

1778. “Conus lemniscatus Reeve, 1849" in Bosch &

Bosch, 1982: 127, ill.

Introduction Recently collected material of Conus lemniscatus

C. The molluscan fauna of the Arabian Sea near has disclosed that the distributionof lemniscatus

Oman is incompletely known. At the end of the is confined to the coast of Brazil (Coomans et al.,

19th interest in of this 1985: For this the century malacology area was 236-237, figs. 478-479). reason stimulated by the collecting activities of Captain name cannot be used for the shells from Oman.

Frederick W. Townsend. This resulted in the de- Bosch & Bosch (1982: 127) mentioned C. traversia-

of about main- scription 600 species new to science, nus Smith, 1875, as a junior synonym.

* Studies on Conidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda), 15. 258 H.E. Coomans & R.G. Moolenbeek - Notes on some Conidaefrom Oman

the is carinated. whorl with Moolenbeek& Coomans (1986) published on Shoulder edge Body

C. traversianus complex, based on material collect- microscopic axial and spiral striae. Lower half of

with ed in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Aden, dorsalside sculptured spiral grooves, in which

thin present in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem small axial riblets. Outer lip (partly broken

material from the translucent near (Israel). Recently, we could study posteriorly), the edge.

University of Rostock (D.D.R.) from the Arabian Main colour bluish-white with brown blotches

Sea and Gulf of Aden. After comparing all this and punctuated brown-white spirals. Apical whorls material we concluded that the specimens from with irregular brown spots above the suture, on the

which The Oman represent a hitherto unnamed species, last whorl there are ten dark brown spots. is described below. adapical sutural ridge is irregularly white and

brown. Just below the shoulder is a white area fol-

lowed by about 25 brown and white punctuated Conus stocki n. sp. spirals, occasionally with fine brown and white (Figs. 1-4)

spirals in between. More or less irregular axial

whole whorl. brown flames over the body The an- Conus lemniscatus ; Bosch & Bosch, 1982: 127, ill. (non Reeve, terior of the shell is brown. 1849). part

material. - Moll. and 32 Holotype (ZMA 3.90.001) - Type para- Variability. There is little variation in shape of types (ZMA Moll. 3.90.002). Paratypes are deposited in the colourationis vari- the shells (Figs. 3-4). The more BMNH (London) and the USNM (Washington). able, dark brown as well as light brown specimens

and also the is variable. The number Type locality. - Oman, Masirah Island, beach, 1988, leg. D. & occur, pattern

E. Bosch. of spiral colour lines varies from 20 to 30.

Description of the holotype (Figs. 1-2). - Shell Etymology. - The name Conus stocki n. sp. is

honour Prof. his elongate, obconical, thin, glossy. Length 37.0 mm, given to Dr. J.H. Stock, upon width of 16.2 retirement from the Instituteof Taxonomie Zoolo- 16.3 mm, height spire mm. Body whorl mostly straight in profile view, a little convex gy, University of Amsterdam. near the shoulder, lower part grooved. Aperture narrow. Spire concave, consisting of 9 whorls. Api- Discussion. - There are three species resembling cal angle about 100°. the species here described. They differ as follows:

Protoconch 1 Vi smooth whorls, diameter abapi- C. lemniscatus is strongly grooved with a flatter cally 1.1 mm, just before the first postnuclear whorl spire. C. milesi Smith, 1887, has a different colour a few axial growth lines. First postnuclear whorl pattern (lack of spiral colour lines), and it has more with about 13 small nodules and two spiral striae. postnuclear whorls with a strong coronation (cf.

The postnuclear whorls 2—4 have also nodulation Moolenbeek & Coomans, 1986). C. traversianus and striae, which gradually disappear to the follow- Smith, 1875, is the closest related taxon. It is more

Towards last and has the entire ing whorls. the postnuclear whorl, the slender, spiral grooves on body spiral striae become less clear. Suture deep. Just be- whorl. Its colour pattern of spiral lines is less dense low suture there is an irregular formed spiral ridge. and it lacks the brown anterior part.

1—4. Conus stocki Masïrah Figs. n. sp., Island: 1—2, holotype, length 37.0 mm; 3—4, paratypes, lengths 33.3 mm and 33.1 mm, respec- tively.

5—8. Kiener: Figs. C. ardisiaceus 5—6, copy of the originaltype figure,length 35 mm (after Kiener, 1845); 7—8, neotype, Masïrah Island, length 35.8 mm.

Figs. 9—11. C. luctificus Reeve: 9, lectotype, length 39 mm (after Reeve, 1848); 10—11, specimens from Masïrah Island, lengths 59.7 mm and 62.4 mm, respectively. Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, 60 (3/4) - 1990 259 260 H.E. Coomans & R.G. Moolenbeek - Notes on some Conidaefrom Oman

inside of the is violet. Conus ardisiaceus Kiener, 1845 grey, and the aperture Only

(Figs. 5-8) the colourof the irregular design on the body whorl

is brown instead of blackish. However, the collec-

This species (Figs. 5-6) was described by Kiener tion of ZMA contains specimens ofthis species with

from (1845: 316-317, pl. 108 fig. 1) the collection darkbrown to black colour patterns. of Mr. Lorois. The whereabouts of the holotype is unknown. Information theLorois collection about Conus lischkeanus tropicensis Coomans & Filmer, is neither given by Dance (1986: appendix IV, nor 1985 by Sherborn (1940). We tried to locate the type specimen in several in particular French, European, “Conus kermadecensis Iredale, 1912", in Bosch & Bosch, 1982:

but all in natural history museums efforts were 128, ill. vain. From the original description and type figure, some authors (Walls, 1979: 2-3; W.E. Old, in litt., Conus kermadecensis was described from the Ker-

madec Islands in 1980) concluded C. ardisiaceus to be a species from the western Pacific, north of New the coast of Oman. After studying material from Zealand. In later years, it was also recorded from

this confirmed Coomans Oman opinion was by et Queensland, West Australia, South Japan, Oman, al. (1981: 14). These authors designated Masïrah Is- and South-East Africa. The taxonomy and distri- land to be the type locality. However, without a bution was studied by Coomans & Filmer (1985), type specimen, speculation concerning the identity who concluded that Conus lischkeanus Weinkauff, of C. ardisiaceus remains possible. For the stability 1875, is the oldest name in the species complex, of nomenclatureit is used necessary to designate a neo- for the population from South Japan. The

Dr. Donald Bosch lischkeanus is type. supplied us with specimens subspecies C. kermadecensis con- from Masirah which fit the type figure and descrip- fined to the area of New Zealand and Queensland. tion of C. ardisiaceus. From that sample we have The West Australian population is characterized by selected a neotype (ZMA Moll. 3.90.003) being a a purplish aperture, and was described as C. lisch- live collected with of 35.8 keanus specimen a length mm, tropicensis Coomans & Filmer, 1985. The and width 20.4 mm (Figs. 7-8). shells of the population from Oman are not distinct

from those of West Australia, despite of the large

Type locality. - Oman, Masïrah Island, littoral, distance between the two ranges in the Indian

1988, leg. D. & E. Bosch. Ocean. Provisionally we have named the Oman

shells C. lischkeanus tropicensis.

Remarks. - The neotype shows all the characteris- tics mentioned Kiener in his by original description Conus luctificus Reeve, 1848 which reads follows: as (Figs. 9-11)

"Coquille oblongue, turbinée, renflée vers sa partie supérieure. La est mucronée spire convexe, obtuse, “Conus namocanusHwass, 1792" in Bosch & Bosch, 1982: 129, au sommet; on y compte six ou sept tours étroits; ill.

du dernier l'angle spiral est obtus; ce tour est lisse, excepté vers sa base qui porte quelques sillons ob- Although C. namocanus is known from the coast of liques. L'ouverture est sinueuse, un peu dilatée vers Oman, the shells figured by Bosch & Bosch (1982) sa partie inférieure. La coquille est marbrée de do not belong to this species. Specimens identical to

noirâtres grandes maculations irrégulières, se the figured ones are present in ZMA, ex coll. Bosch détachant sur un fond gris cendré nuageux; en (Figs. 10-11). We have identified these specimens outre, elle est traversée par un grand nombre de as C. luctificus Reeve, 1848. The name luctificus is lignes ponctuées, comme articulées. L'intérieur de hardly mentionedin the recent malacological litera- l'ouverture est d'un brun violacé". ture, and the identity of the species was a subject to

the main colour the Also of neotype is bluish discussion. The type sample in the British Museum Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, 60 (3/4) - 1990 261

(Natural History) contains two specimens; one of elusion that the latteralso belong to C. p. sharmien-

described sis. Thus C. sharmiensis is restricted these shells was figured and by Reeve parvatus not to

(1848). This shell is herewith designated lectotype the Red Sea, but its range extends at least to the

of Conus luctificus Reeve, 1848. The measurements coast of Oman. The most striking characters of C.

band below the are: length 39 mm, width 21 mm (Fig. 9). The origi- parvatus sharmiensis are the white

nal description (op. cit.: suppl. pl. 1) reads: shoulder, and the spirally arranged reddish brown

"The mournfulCone. Shell oblong, smooth, close- spots on the body whorl.

ly grooved at the base, spire rather elevated, con-

1982 cavely excavated; whitish, stained and longitudinal- Conus pennaceus quasimagnificus Da Motta,

ly streaked with reddish brown, leaving a whitish

band round and the in Bosch 1982: the centre along upper margin, “Conus pennaceus Born, 1780", & Bosch, 130,

spire tessellated. Hab. -? Though not distin- ill.

guished by any striking peculiarity of character,

this species is certainly differentfrom any that have The population of C. pennaceus from Oman was

preceded it." described by Da Motta(1982: 3) as a distinct species

Khor Fak- There is no original type locality indicated. The C. quasimagni ficus, with type locality

is kau in the Gulf of Oman. Wils label with the type lot states that C. luctificus a (1986: 192, figs.

has collected identical in the Red junior synonym of C. splendidulus Sowerby, 1833, 76-77) specimens

maximum a species living in the Red Sea. This opinion is con- Sea (Elat, Gulf of Akaba). However, the

is firmed by Tomlin (1937: 270) and Roeckel (1984: shell length of the Red Sea specimens 43 mm,

in the Omani shells reach 80 n° 482). Walls (1979) placed the name the syn- whereas can mm.

taxonomiestatus of C. and onymy of Conus argillaceus Perry, 1811, which we The quasimagnificus,

dubium 1981: its relation C. needs further It considered a nomen (Coomans et al., to pennaceus study.

18, fig. 127). C. luctificus is distinct from C. splen- is known that the species of Conidae with the so- didulus,, in being less solid and having grooves on called "tent"-pattern show a great variety in shape, the spire. pattern and colour and the taxonomie confusion in

We have examined 15 specimens of C. luctificus this complex is frequently mentioned (e.g. Bosch &

from with size of 60 mm and a 1982: Oman, an average Bosch, 130). maximum of 87 mm.

Acknowledgements Conus parvatus sharmiensis Wils, 1986

Dr. and Mrs. We are particularly indebted to Donald Eloise

“Conus musicus Hwass, 1792" in Bosch & Bosch, 1982: 125, ill. Bosch for donating the material described in this paper to our

museum and for the enthousiastic discussions during their visits

to Amsterdam. Mrs. K. Way kindly gave permission to study the The taxa belonging to the species complex of C. in types of the genus Conus the British Museum (Natural Histo- musicus were mentioned by Coomans et al. (1983: ry), whereas Dr. Wranick (University ofRostock, D.D.R.) kind-

In this two new taxa were 109-110). complex ly sent material from the Gulf of Aden. Prof. Dr. S. van der

critical remarks the described in recent years. Spoel supplied concerning text.

(1) C. musicus parvatus Walls, 1979, was origi- nally described as a subspecies, but now considered References a valid species. C. parvatus occurs in the Indian

Ocean.

Bosch, D. & E. Bosch, 1982. Seashells of Oman: 1-206 (Long- (2) C. parvatus sharmiensis Wils, 1986 was

man, London). described from the Red Sea, the holotype is deposit- Coomans, H.E. & R.M. Filmer, 1985. Studies on Conidae (Mol- this ed in ZMA (Moll. no. 3.86.014). Comparing 3. and lusca, Gastropoda) Systematics distribution of some holotype with shells described as C. musicus by Australian species, including two new taxa. Beaufortia, 35:

Bosch & Bosch (1982) from Oman leads to the con- 1-14. 262 H.E. Coomans & R.G. Moolenbeek - Notes on some Conidaefrom Oman

Coomans, H.E., R.G. Moolenbeek & E. Wils, 1981. Alphabeti- tropoda: Conidae). Publcoês ocas. Soc. port. Malac., 1:

cal revision ofthe (sub)species in recent Conidae, 4. aphrodite 1-20.

to azona with description of Conus arenatus bizona, nov. Reeve, L.A., 1848. Monograph of the genus Conus (publ.

subspecies. Basteria, 45: 3-55. 1843-1849). In: Conchologia iconica: or, illustrations of the

Coomans, H.E., R.G. Moolenbeek & E. Wils, 1983. Alphabeti- shells of molluscous , 1: pis. 1-47, suppl. pis. 1-9

cal revision of the (sub)species in recent Conidae, 6. cabritii (Reeve brothers, London).

to cinereus. Basteria, 47: 67-143. Roeckel, D., 1979—1984. Die Familie Conidae: 1—510 (privately

Coomans, H.E., R.G. Moolenbeek & E. Wils, 1985. Alphabeti- printed, Darmstadt).

cal revision of the (sub)species in recent Conidae, 7. cingula- Sherborn, C.H., 1940. Where is the — collection?: 1 — 149

tus to cylindraceus includingConus shikamai nomennovum. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).

Basteria, 49: 221-312. Tomlin, J.R. le B., 1937. Catalogue of recent and fossil cones.

Dance, S.P., 1986. A history of shell collecting: i-iv, 1-265, Proc. malac. Soc. Lond., 22: 205-330.

pis. [I-XXXII] (Brill/Backhuys, Leiden). Walls, J.G., 1979. Cone shells, a synopsis of the living Conidae:

Kiener, L.-C., 1845. Spécies général et iconographie des co- 1-1021 (T.F.H. Publications, Neptune).

quilles vivantes, 2: pis. 1-111 (Baillière, Paris). Wils, E., 1986. Red Sea Malacology, III. Revisie: De Conidae

Moolenbeek, R.G. & H.E. Coomans, 1986. On the identity of van de Rode Zee. Gloria Maris, 25: 161-206.

Conus milesi, & C. elegans. Studies on Conidae (Mollusca,

Gastropoda), 7. Conchiglia, 18 (210-211): 18-19. Received: 5 February 1990

1990 Motta, A.J. da, 1982. Seventeen new cone shell names (Gas- Revised: 12 April