Morro Da Areia , Boavista. the Specimens Studied Were Found to Be 0.5 to 3 Meters Deep

In October of 1980 Dieter Röckel, Emilio Rolán Antonio Monteiro and they published an interesting editorial work with the emblematic title: Cone shells from Cape Verde Islands - a difficult puzzle. For more than thirty years after the title is never more current with the addition that the seabed of those water still produces many surprises and environmental and geographical conditions allow the existence of an incredible number of endemic species whose characteristics allow us to identify new species, based mainly on the aspects of morphology of the shell. The small number of soft parts of molluscs available did not allow the study to assess the genetic variability in a timely manner in order to support or not the taxonomic position of the forms described here as a new species. This work was possible thanks to the perseverance and collaboration of Ramiro Fiadeiro who gathered the material studied and made it unconditionally available.

Africonus silviae

Locality: Morro da Areia , BoaVista. The specimens studied were found to be 0.5 to 3 meters deep, on rock .

DESCRIPTION Pyriform shell of small dimensions, compared with average for the genus, with a range from 18 to 28 mm in height, with harmonic size distribution; spire moderately concave profile and moderately accentuated sutures; rounded shoulder and aperture that forms a modest step adapically . The aperture is wide and the margin slightly rounded adapically and is straight in the central area . The protoconch is domed and aligned with the spire . 7-8 small spiral grooves are highlighted in the tops of the whorls . The last whorl smooth, with sparse weak grooves, has two color bands of brown color : one adapical and one anteriorly; a middle band clearly distinguished from the brown bands is characterized by white triangular marks placed in a counterclockwise direction to achieve a decorative and distinctive pattern; the same decoration is found on the shoulder between the aperture and the last spiral suture. The aperture is white with a lip which reveals the coloring of the shell.

DISCUSSION The new species has some affinity with Conus josephinae Rolán, 1980, but there are some elements that differentiate unequivocally starting from the higher spire, the profile is less triangular, with the prominent color bands and ornamentation evident; and an aperture slightly wider. Also Africonus swinneni Tenorio, Afonso Cunha & Rolán, 2014 has certain similarities but has a lower height-to-width ratio and more angled shoulder.

Africonus zinhoi sp. MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 21,2 x12, 1 mm MMM, Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 23,0 x13, 3 mm A. Verdasca Collection - Paratype 2 23,5 x13, 7mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 3 20,5 x10, 9 mm T. Cossignani Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION Curral Velho, Boa Vista. The specimens studied were found to be 0.5 to 4 meters deep,among rock.

DESCRIPTION Shell of small dimensions, less than those normally found in the genus; the specimens surveyed had sizes ranging from 18 to 27 mm. The profile of the shell is pear-shaped; spire of an average height and slightly concave. The aperture has join at shoulder level and the alignment of aperture loop continues on the spire with imperceptiblestep; the shoulder is rounded off with an angle of approximately 140 °. The protoconch is domed and sutures shallow with brown coloring. The ornamentation of the last whorl is elegant,dark brown color, with a considerable number (about 40) of dark lines spirals, more regular in adapical area, more sparse in the central and most monochrome in the anterior interlinear spaces; the brown color of the background is fragmented with small white speckles, these speckles in the central area are the most obvious and fragment the regularity of the spiral lines. Also among the shoulder and the whorl tops are irregular white speckles. The aperture is not very wide and has a gray-brown, lighter area adapically. 6 grooves, are clearly visible on the whorl tops of the spire. In the adult specimens less ornamentation is less defined and the spire less scaliform.

DISCUSSION The new species has some affinity with Conus delanoyi Trovão, 1979 at least as regards the whorl decoration, but the size is somewhat lower (18 to 27 mm) and, especially, the spire of the new species is decidedly higher and background staining more brown and with a more pear-shaped profile.

Africonus cagarralensis sp.

MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 17,1 x10 , 4 mm MMM , Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 16,8 x9 , 7 mm A. Verdasca Collection - Paratype 2 17,1 x9, 4 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 3 16,8 x9, 8 mm A. Cicciu Collection -Paratype 4 16,8 x9 , 0 mm T. Cossignani Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION Pedra do Lume . The specimens studied were found at 0.2 to 2 meters deep, among rock .

DESCRIPTION Shell small ( 14 to 21 mm) , pear-shaped , with moderately high spire , slightly concave , usually encrusted it is difficult to assess the protoconch ; tops of the whorls are crossed by two slight grooves; the spire is mainly white; the shoulder has a pronounced angle , the profile of last whorl is somewhat convex in the adapical area and slightly concave in the anterior area . The aperture is not narrow and internal staining is brown in the adapical area and white in the siphonal area; very characteristic is the pattern around the last whorl comprising 7 alternating bands of light and dark fawn color with reticulation pattern which reveals a white mesh.

DISCUSSION The new species has some affinity with Africonus cuneolus ( Reeve, 1843) but the spire slightly higher, more pyriform shape , and ornamentation in characteristic spiral bands with alternating coloring and subtle mottling more fine-grained. A. borgesi ( Trovão , 1979) has different pattern and is larger.

Africonus wandae sp.

MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 27,4 x17 , 2 mm MMM , Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 22,5 x12 ,2 mm A. Verdasca Collection - Paratype 2 23,0 x13,0 mm P. Kersten Collection - Paratype 3 29,2 x14,5 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 4 25,9 x14,8 mm T. Cossignani Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION Baia Grande , Boa Vista. The specimens studied were found at 0.5 to 3 meters deep, among rock .

DESCRIPTION Shell small pear-shaped profile ,with gentle convexity more pronounced adapically and almost zero in the anterior area . The height of the shells studied ranges from 22 mm to 33 mm .The spire has a low profile and is almost straight, but certain specimens is slightly higher , and there are 3 spiral striae visible on the whorl tops. The shoulder is slightly angular . The shell is smooth with light spiral grooves only in the anterior area. The aperture is wide and the color inside is marbeled white . The protoconch is flattened dome-shaped with suture lines just visible. Especially typical is the blotches of tawny -brown on last whorl. The blobs are shapeless like large clouds roughly zig- zag in shape, tawny -brown color on a white background . The area towards the siphonal canal is fawn-brown more consistent with darker smear of color towards the zenith.Animal are not reported. DISCUSSION The new species has some affinity with Africonus borgesi (Trovão, 1979) and with Africonus decoratus (Röckel, Rolán & Monteiro, 1980). The spire of the new species is lower, but what distinguishes the new species from others in comparison is the chromatic ornamentation of the last whorl which is entirely unique.

Africonus cabraloi sp.

MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 12,8 x7,2 mm MMM, Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 13,5 x7,8mm A. Cicciu Collection - Paratype 2 11,5 x6,5 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 3 13,5 x7,9 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 4 15,7 x9,1 mm T. Cossignani Collection - Paratype 5 14,4 x8,6mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 6 14,4 x8,1 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION Praia Cabral. The specimens studied were found from 0.1 to 0.5 meters deep among rock.

DESCRIPTION Shell pyriform small (9 to 15 mm) with spire moderately high, slightly concave dome-shaped protoconch; sutures barely noticeable, rounded shoulder. On last whorl, spiral grooves around characterize predominantly the anterior part while more than 25 spiral brown lines mark the shell that has dark greenish- brown background . A lighter spiral band runs medially around whorl, divided into two parts by a dark reddish line; staining tends to brown - red -green in siphonal area . The aperture is moderately wide with internal coloring purplish -brown , lighter in the adapical area ;the lip joins in harmony with the shoulder without creating a significant step. DISCUSSION Compared to Africonus irregularis ( G.B. Sowerby ,1858), the new species has a higher concave spire and is less pyriform and has a pattern on last whorl smoother with no white speckles, typical in A. irregularis . Normally the sizeof the new species are smaller. A. irregularis f . iberogermanicus ( Röckel , Rolán & Monteiro , 1980), the new species differs by the higher spire and, for the darker color and without discontinuity of color. A. antoniomonteiroi ( Rolán , 1990) has lower spire, the absence of lines and spirals around whorl and a spotted decorated band and background colour deeper.

Africonus bernardinoi

MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 23,5 x12,7 mm MMM , Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 30,0 x16,0 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 2 20,0 x10,5 mm B. Monteiro Collection - Paratype 3 27,4 x15,4 mm T. Cossignani Collection - Paratype 4 15.9 x8,72 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION Baia da Parda , Ps. The specimens studied were found at 0.5 to 8 feet deep, on rock.

DESCRIPTION Shell of small size ( 14 to 35 mm ) with a pyriform profile , with background pattern of white -black- gray webbing giving the effect like 'scale of the snake' , two spiral bands around central area are lighter.Spire slightly elevated, slightly tuberculate and almost linear profile; dome-shaped protoconch with sutures lightly engraved in darker color ;wide aperture , dark blue inside , with darker medial band ;attachment of lip to the shoulder creates a small step. The aperture occupies 4/5 of height of shell.

DISCUSSION The new species is comparable with Africonus cuneolus ( Reeve, 1843) described from Algodoeiro ,Sal and Africonus delanoyi ( Trovão , 1979)described for Baia das Gatas in Boa Vista. Compared to A. cuneolus the new species has the higher spire; shoulder tighter, more uniform decoration and more uniform reticulation and less spiral bands(2) ( 3 in A. cuneolus ) . The spire of A. delanoyi is lower and concave ; the background staining in this species tends to fawn with more regular white lattice. In A. delanoyi the anterior siphonal is more homogeneous . Africonus salletae

MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 15,5 x9,3 mm MMM , Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 19,2 x10,7 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 2 14,0 x7,9 mm A. Verdasca Collection - Paratype 3 13,6 x8,2 mm T. Cossignani Collection - Paratype 4 17,0 x12,5mm R. Fiadeiro Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION Espingueira , Boa Vista. The specimens studied were found to be 0.5 to 2 meters deep,on rock .

DESCRIPTION Shell pyriform small ( 14 to24 mm ) spire low profile with barely concave shape; protoconch almost flat , sutures slightly cut; aperture wider than species of the same genus and that starts from the shoulder without step evident , with internal staining blue -violet with darker medial band .8 grooves spirally run anteriorly around whorl. The coloring of the shell is plain mostly brown to dark brown (lighter in young specimens ) with a lighter median band.

DISCUSSION The new species is comparable with Africonus josephinae ( Rolán , 1980). The new species is on average smaller in size, has a more pear-shaped profile, the spire is moderately higher and colour darker.

Africonus diegoi

MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 13,2 x6,7 mm MMM , Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 11,8 x5,7 mm A. Monteiro Collection - Paratype 2 10,2 x6,0 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 3 15,22 x7,87 mm T. Cossignani Collection - Paratype 4 11,02 x5,48 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION João Barbosa , Boa Vista. The specimens studied were found from 1 to 8 feet deep, on the rock.

DESCRIPTION Shell small ( 9 to 16 mm) elongated pear-shaped profile , with spire moderately high and scaliform, slightly concave. The aperture is large with internal staining brown, characterized by two light bands,almost white, one under the shoulder and the other 2/3 down the whorl. The aperture creates small step at whorl .The shell has a light grey whitish background with light brown irregular dots and white dashes alternating ; the whorl in the central area around the dots and dashes combine creating small brown blotches covered by dashes of spiral lines darker ( reddish-brown ) and small white spots DISCUSSION The new species is comparable with Africonus felitae ( Rolán , 1990) from Rabo de Junco , Sal and A. serranegrae ( Rolán , 1990) from Serra Negra. The new species has a pattern not comparable in any feature with the species most morphologically close , and has the higher spire and has a more tapered profile.

Africonus joserochoi sp.

MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 21,0 x11,6 mm MMM , Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 29,0 x11,1 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 2 22,2 x13,3 mm N. Tiago Collection - Paratype 3 23,2 x14,2 mm T. Cossignani Collection - Paratype 4 22,7 x14,8 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION Calheta, Boa Vista. The specimens studied were found from 0.3 to 8 feet deep , on rock.

DESCRIPTION Shell of small size (18 to 35 mm) pear-shaped profile , with medium high spire, slightly concave and convex just in certain specimens; rounded shoulder; and aperture quite wide and whose adapical join creates a imperceptible step. The color of the inside of aperture is white - blue almost homogeneous; the protoconch is low domed in line with the early whorls of the spire . The coloring of the spire is tawny -brown to dark brown with sparse white spots , the whorl tops are crossed by 4 well defined spiral furrows.The last whorl has dark reddish -brown coloring in harmony with the color of the spire with a webbing pattern evident that manifests itself in clearly in the central median spiral strip which occupies a fifth of the last whorl.

DISCUSSION Compared to Africonus delanoyi ( Trovão , 1979) the new species has the higher and slightly concave spire, has not the typical clear bands adapically and has a profile less triangular and more pear- shaped . Africonus decoratus ( Röckel , Rolán & Monteiro , 1980) has a more triangular profile, a spire more convex and has white maculations.

Africonus antonioi sp.

MATERIAL TYPE - Holotype 21,0 x12,8 mm MMM , Cupra Marittima - Paratype 1 21,5 x12,2 mm A. Monteiro Collection - Paratype 2 13,0 x8,6mm R. Fiadeiro Collection - Paratype 3 18,8 x10,0 mm T. Cossignani Collection - Paratype 4 18,2 x10,9 mm R. Fiadeiro Collection

TYPE LOCALITY AND DISTRIBUTION Bay Pequeña , Boa Vista. The specimens studied were found to be 0.3 to 8 feet deep, on rock.

DESCRIPTION Shell small (15 to 25mm) pear-shaped profile , with gentle convexity in a low spire whose whorls are marked by four spiral grooves evident , the shoulder is rounded and wide aperture begins at shoulder, continuing the line of the spire . The color is white inside. The profile of last whorl is moderately convex with a tendency to linearity in siphonal area . The coloring is tawny - yellowish with minute spiral lines of more intense color . Minute white speckles almost triangular with clockwise orientation characterize the middle band and the shoulder; the area near the siphonal canal is a more intense color tending to brown.

DISCUSSION The new species differs from Africonus borgesi( Trovão , 1979) for the lower spire, for presence of speckles, the color difference and for a more slender profile .