THE CONE COLLECTOR # 0 October, 2006 Editor: António Monteiro [email protected] DEDEDEDEDEDEDEDE EDITORIAL Nevertheless, most collectors of Cones will most probably restrict The family Conidae Rafines- their collections to those species so far que, 1815 (Mollusca, Gastropoda) has attributed to the genus Conus alone. always been one of the most popular Many such collectors are in among collectors, along with others touch with one another, either in such as Cypraeidae, Volutidae, Muri- person, through correspondence or, cidae, Pectinidae, etc. more recently – and ever more It comprises a large number of frequently – through e-mail. species that so far have been usually The large number of species of included in the single genus Conus Cones and the continuous publication Linnaeus, 1758, despite several of new papers, either describing new attempts to separate it into a system of taxa or discussing existing ones, makes different genera and subgenera, which it some times hard to follow everything however have not been universally that is pertinent to the study and accepted. collection of the group. For this reason, it was felt that an informal newsletter exclusively dedicated to Cones, to be distributed among all interested parties – collectors, researchers and dealers – could have some utility as a means of circulating news and information among all. With this is mind, we present to It should also be noted that in a you the first issue of recent (2005) work, Classification and The Cone Nomenclator (sp?) of Gastropod Collector. This is to be thought of as a Families, Bouchet and Rocroi included trial issue, sent to a number of friends the subfamilies of Claturellinae, and collectors around the world, Conorbinae, Mangeliinae, Oenopotinae mainly to give everybody a general and Raphitominae in the Conidae. idea of our aim. Any suggestions as to These subfamilies were previously form and content will obviously be included in the family Turridae. very welcome. 1 It should be stressed right from can be replaced every two years, the start that such a project as this through a voting among all the cannot go ahead without the interest subscribers. and collaboration of a large number of people. This means that we shall be 2. The purpose of the newsletter is to waiting for and expecting your circulate information about the family contributions. These can take many Conidae Rafinesque, 1815 among in- different forms, from short articles to terested collectors and also to provide photos (for instance, if you have some them with a specialized forum for the unidentified specimen you may want to discussion of all subjects pertinent to share a photo with the rest of us and the said family. perhaps get some suggestions about its 2.1. The family Conidae Rafines- possible identification), book reviews, que, 1815 is considered in the classic faunal lists, jokes, etc., etc. sense, comprising the single genus We do hope that you will find Conus Linnaeus, 1758, and not in the some merit in this newsletter and that sense of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), you will be willing to join as a Classification and Nomenclator of subscriber and, hopefully, as a Gastropod Families. contributor. If you wish to get The Cone Collector on a regular basis, just 3. The Cone Collector will be published send us a message stating your interest. four times a year, in the months of For that purpose you may use the e- January, April, July and October. mail ( [email protected] ) or 3.1. The newsletter will be alternatively you may want to use the distributed in electronic form. postal address (Rua Carlos Calisto, 3 – Exceptionally, paper copies can be 4º Esq., 1400-043 Lisboa, Portugal) or prepared for subscribers with no access even the phone ([00-351]-965115923). to the Internet. At the same time, if you know of 3.2. The number of pages per issue someone whom you think might be is not fixed. interested in joining us, do give us his/her contact and we will get in 4. The Cone Collector is distributed touch. among subscribers that are primarily We shall be eagerly waiting for shell collectors interested in the family your contact and in the meantime we Conidae. send you our very best wishes. 4.1. Other interested parties, including shell dealers, professional DEDED researchers, museums, shell collectors' clubs or other institutions can also be considered as subscribers. EDITORIAL RULES 4.2. Distribution to subscribers in electronic form will be free of charge. 1. The Cone Collector is a periodical However, each subscriber wishing to newsletter, privately published without receive copies on paper will be asked commercial purposes. to pay an annual fee destined to cover 1.1. The newsletter will have an any expenses to be met in the process Editor and an Editorial Committee of production of the newsletter. formed by the Editor and another 4.3. All subscribers are encouraged subscriber. to submit papers of interest to the 1.2. The Editor and the second subject in point. A "Letters" section member of the Editorial Committee will be created, to which subscribers 2 will be able to send comments, It is true that for some time no suggestions, etc., it being understood news from him had been had by that the Editor will be free to include anybody, not even in reply to or not any correspondence received in traditional Christmas greetings, which the "Letters" column, eventually in made many of us fear the worst, and abridged form. only the more so because it was well known that poor health had been 5. In principle, any collector who states afflicting him in his old age. his interest in receiving The Cone Confirmation of Bob’s death, Collector will be considered as a almost three years ago, has finally been subscriber and will henceforth receive obtained, after a number of efforts and copies of each issue. However, the at the same time we also learnt of the Editorial Committee will have the death of his wife Liza. power of removing from the My correspondence with Bob subscribers' list any former subscriber da Motta began some thirty years ago. whose attitude, behaviour or activity is at the time he was already a well- deemed to be unsuitable or inadequate known collector, living in Bangkok to the purposes of the newsletter, or and specializing in Cones. A string generally offensive to others. friendship was soon born between us. 6. The Cone Collector is not a scientific publication and does not have a board of referees. For this reason, no papers describing new species or otherwise proposing any nomenclatural changes will be accepted for publication. 6.1. Notwithstanding the above restriction, papers discussing the validity of taxa can be accepted for It was easy to become friends publication, provided their authors with Bob. He was dynamic, kind and agree that no nomenclatural changes of convivial nature, with a genuine are to be expected as accepted after love for shells and for their study. publication in The Cone Collector. At a certain moment, more or less coincident with his move from 7. The final decision concerning what Thailand to Hong Kong – somewhere is published in each issue belongs to around the late 70s or early 80s, if my the Editor. memory serves me right – he considered the possibility of housing DEDED his vast collection in Portugal, through the creation of a foundation or some similar institution to take care of it and OBITUARY use it as a basis for research. But the = negotiations undertaken at the time António José (Bob) da Motta came to nothing and, as is well known, the collection found its definitive home The news of the passing away somewhere else. of our dear old friend A. J. da Motta, The interest of da Motta for known as Bob, were slow to reach his Portugal was not fortuitous. In reality, many malacological friends and despite having American nationality, correspondents. Bob’s roots were to be found in North 3 Portugal, in the region of Trás-os- pleasure for me and, I am certain of it, Montes and it seems that he still for him too. I remember well that as I understood at least some of the parked my car near my house, Bob Portuguese language. pointed at the plaque indicating the Along many years, our name of the square where I used to correspondence was vast and always live, Largo da Princesa, exclaiming: quite interesting and as a result we had “Here it is at last! How many times I the opportunity of publishing several wrote this address on an envelope!”. of his papers in the Occasional Today, I still prefer to think of Publications of the Portuguese Bob as if he were still living far away. Malacological Society. In a certain sense he still is, of course. Da Motta described a number And I would most sincerely of species, not all of them accepted by like to dedicate this first issue of The the international community as valid, Cone Collector to his memory. I am and in his later years he dedicated sure that Bob would want to be its first himself to try to split the genus Conus subscriber and collaborator! into several genera and subgenera, A.M. because the use of a single genus for the entire family Conidae seemed to DEDED him totally inappropriate. EDITORIAL COMMITTEE To get us started, the Editorial Commitee of The Cone Collector is currently formed by António Monteiro, the Editor (see above) and Paul H. Kersten ( [email protected] ). Most of you will already know both, either personally or through correspondence.