Bulletin Zoologisch Museum
0|NIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
Vol. 10 No. 25 1986
Studies on Conidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda), 6.
Conidae of the Chesterfield Islands, with description of
Conus luciae nova species
R.G. Moolenbeek
Abstract
About 50 of recorded the situ- species the genus Conus are from Chesterfield Islands, which are
luciae ated between New Caledonia and Queensland. Conus is described as a new species from Banc
Nova from depths around 300 m.
INTRODUCTION dredging, trawling and SCUBA diving. A descrip-
tion of the Chalcal cruise 1984 and station
The central part of the Coral Sea between New list is presented by Richer de Forges & Pianet
Caledonia and 6) it contains a list of mol- Queensland (fig. comprises sev- (1984) ; preliminary
eral island and reef groups (Bellona, Chester- luscs taken during the expedition. The list is
field, Bampton) and submerged banks, which have reproduced in Gerbault (1985), together with a
so far hardly been malacologically investigated. popular account of the cruise.
The has at least two endemic marine The material is area gas- malacological deposited in
tropods, the volutes Cymbiolacca thatcheri the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN)
and Paris. The submitted (M'Coy, 1868) Lyria grangei Cernohorsky, at cones were to me for
which reflect the of iso- identification the 1980, probably degree and present paper is a re-
lation of the reef from land areas surrounding port on that family. Not all species listed by masses. Gerbault (1985) are present in the collection.
The "Chalcal" expedition 1984 (R.V. "Corio- Previous literature concerning the Conidae from
lis") under the direction of Dr. B. Richer de the Chesterfield Islands , comprises Brazier
Forges (ORSTOM, Noumea), sampled benthos using (1871: 585) and Byrne (1971). 210
the Chesterfield Table I. Conus species from area.
ies "Chalcal" Braz ier spec Byrne Gerbault
Stns. 1984 (1871) (1971) (1985)
adamsonii Broderip, 1836 X - -
ammiralis Linnaeus, 1758 P6, D17, D27, D56 XX
arenatus Hwass, 1792 D56 XX
articulatus Sowerby, 1873 D7, D41, D55 ')
balteatus pigmentatus Adams & Reeve, 1848 P5
bandanus Hwass, 1792 P5
bougei Sowerby, 1907 D15, D24, D26, D49 X
cf. bruuni Powell, 1958 D64 ')
capitaneus Linnaeus, 1758 P5, P6, Dl, D39, D52 X
cf. circumactus Iredale, 1929 P4
coccineus Gmelin, 1791 D2, D7, D9, D40 X
crocatus Lamarck, 1810 X X
distans Hwass, 1792 Recif Boby XX
ebraeus Linnaeus, 1758 XX
eburneus Hwass, 1792 X
emaciatus Reeve, 1849 X flavidus Lamarck, 1810 P5 XX
floccatus Sowerby, 1839 P4, P5, D26, D56 X X
floridulus Adams & Reeve, 1848 - X
generalis Linnaeus, 1767 P2 X
geographus Linnaeus, 1758 - X
imperialis Linnaeus, 1758 P2 XX
kimioi Habe, 1965 D38 ')
leopardus (Roding, 1798) X
litoglyphus Hwass, 1792 P4 X
litteratus Linnaeus, 1758 P 2 P5 XX
lividus Hwass, 1792 XX
luciae ies D68 nova spec D66,
luteus Sowerby, 1833 D40, D51
magnificus Reeve, 1843 P5, D24, D46 ')
marmoreus Linnaeus, 1758 X
miles Linnaeus, 1758 P5 X
miliaris Hwass, 1792 P5 XX
moreleti Crosse, 1858 P5 X
muriculatus Sowerby, 1833 D19, D24, D34 - X
musicus Hwass, 1792 D8, D56 X
nussatella Linnaeus, 1758 X
omaria Hwass, 1792 - X
orbignyi Audouin, 1831 D64 ')
pertusus Hwass, 1792 X
planorbis Born, 1778 P5 - X
rattus Hwass, 1792 X
sazanka Shikama, 1970 D40 >) 211
"Chalcal" Brazier Gerbau1t spec ies Byrne
Stns. 1984 (1871) (1971) (1985)
forma D24 - X sponsalis nanus Sowerby, 1833 D8, striatellus Link, 1807 XX
sugillatus Reeve, 1844 X ')
terebra Born, 1778 P5 - X
tessulatus Born, 1778 Dl, D7, D37, D40, D54 XX
textile Linnaeus, 1758 XX
varius Linnaeus, 1758 X
vexillum Graelin, 1791 X
virgo Linnaeus, 1758 X
vitulinus Hwass, 1792 X
1 ) : see remarks
REMARKS Coral Sea.
A few juvenile shells could not be identi-
misidentified Some species may have been ear- fied to species. Amongst them some shells which
lier or are mentioned by a synonym name. For are figured by Estival (1981: figs. 105-106).
call have example, what I C. magnificus might It can be the juvenile stage of C. leopardus or
been identified by Gerbault (1985) as C. omaria, C. litteratus but a closer research is needed.
whereas C. floridulus and C. sugillatus are
junior synonyms or perhaps formae of C. muricu-
recorded before from latus. C. articulatus was CONUS LUCIAE n. sp.
nearby areas (Papua New Guinea, Fiji Islands) . (figs. 1-3)
However, amongst the three samples of this spe-
cies is which differs from of the one specimen, C. Description holotype.-
articulatus in minor conchological characters. Shell elongate, obconical, thin, porcelane-
It might be a sibling species and when more ous and glossy; sides of the body whorl almost
material becomes available definite a opinion straight, towards the shoulder a little convex.
can be formed. Spire slightly concave and consisting of nine
C. bruuni is far whorls. a rare species so only Apicle angle about 110°. Protoconch dam-
known from the Kermadec Islands. Compared to aged, the first 5 postnuclear whorls have small
the type material, this specimen is large (74.2 nodules which become weaker towards the last
36.5 it collected with x mm). Unfortunately was not whorl, and about 5 grooves. On the last
alive and its shell is in a rather bad condi- whorl only 3-4 grooves remain visible. Whorls
tion. with stepped a deep suture. Body whorl smooth
C. kimioi. One dead specimen of this very even on the anterior part where grooves are
It forms consid- visible. Shoulder rounded and peculiar species was dredged. a hardly a little
erable since this range extension, species was extended. Aperture moderately wide, outer lip
known from southern Taiwan and thin The basis of the only Japan, (its upper part broken) .
northern Philippines. columella has a strong projecting fold (fig.
C. orbignyi. Not previously recorded from 3) . Colour: spire with irregular light brown
this area. Only one dead specimen was collected. blotches on a whitish background. Shoulder with
C sazanka. few shells of this brown whorl lilac . A juvenile some irregular stripes. Body
is for with of small brown rare species were found. It new the widely spaced spiral rows 212
mm luciae n. Banc 55.6 (MNHN). Figs. 1-3. Conus sp., holotype, Nova, Coral Sea, length 1, dorsal
side with annelid ventral side with the on; 2, a Hipponix species near aperture; 3,
detail of the fold on the columella.
(coll. J. Figs. 4-5. Conus ione Fulton, 1938, N.E. Taiwan, length 53.6 mm Camp). 213
6. Coral Chesterfield Fig. Sea, area.
coronation dots. Just below the shoulder a row of small of the holotype and the on the post- axial stripes, followed by a spiral row of nuclear whorls is more expressed. minute spots. Just above the midbody a band of Both the holotype and the paratype of C.
three of brown Lower third luciae have or still animals of the spiral rows spots. scars gas- of whorl with lines of attached body 11 spiral punctuated tropod Hipponix spec. (fig. 2) to the brown spots; in between these are a few larger shells, situated just beside the aperture. brown the base the irregular dots; near spots become larger. Base of the columella and plica Type locality.-
are white. Coral Sea, Banc Nova (22°35»20 S - 159°15'50
E), depth 296 m (Chalcal 1984 Stat. D68). Holo- The soft parts of the animal and the perios- 28.2 type: length 55.6 mm, width mm (MNHN). of tracum are unknown. The locality the paratype is Coral Sea,
Banc Nova (22°26'40 S - 159°19'80 E), depth 320
1984 m (Chalcal Stat. D66). Paratype: length
Moll. Variability.- 62.2 mm, width 29.4 mm (ZMA no. 3.86.001).
Only the holotype and one paratype are avail- able. The paratype is rather damaged and heavi- Etymology.- ly encrusted with annelids. Therefore the brown This new species is named in honour of Mrs spiral lines on the body whorl are less visi- Lucia M.T. Coomans-Loff (1928-1985), who passed ble. is Its spire relatively higher than that away so unexpectedly. 214
material Discussion .- Paris) for making the Chalcal 1984
Conus luciae is distinct from closely related available for study and for valuable comments
in characters. the Ian Loch (Australian congeners the following on manuscript. Mr.
Museum) is thanked for the loan of the type
Conus ione Fulton, 1938 (figs. 4-5) has material of C. howelli. Mr. John Camp (The
with curved axial his strong concave whorls heavily Netherlands) allowed me to photograph speci-
ione. made by ridges. Also the anterior grooves of the teleo- men of C. The photographs were
is Louis der and J. conch are much more pronounced. Spire Mr. van Laan (ZMA) Mr. Zaagman straight with its whorls distinctly stepped. It (ZMA) drew the map. lacks the plica on the columella. The colour
pattern is very close to that of C. luciae. Its distribution from southern to the REFERENCES ranges Japan
mentions Philippines. Kosuge (1985: 59) a range extension to North-western Australia. BRAZIER, J., 1871. Notes on the localities of
Dolium melanostoma and other shells found in
Australia and the adjacent islands in the
Conus howelli Iredale, 1929 has a complete- Australian Seas.- Proc. zool. Soc. Lond.,
1871: 585-587. ly different colour pattern consisting of a BYRNE, D., 1971. Cymbiolacca thatcheri found white basic colour with many axial wavy lines alive.- Keppel Bay Tidings, 1_0 (2): 3-4.
ESTIVAL, J.C., 1981. Cônes de Nouve1les-Calédo- of reddish brown. Like the former, it lacks the nie et du Vanuatu: 1-126. (Tahiti). fold the columella. Its distribution and of on ranges FULTON, H.C., 1938. Descriptions figures
marine Proc. malac. new Japanese shells.- from southern Queensland to northern New Zea- Soc. Lond., 2j3 : 55-56. land (Marshall, 1981) so it could live sym- GARRARD, T.A., 1961. Mollusca collected by m.v.
"Challenge" off the East coast of Austra- with the patrically new species. lia.- J. malac. Soc. Australia, 1 (5): 2-37.
GERBAULT, A., 1985. Chalcal 84 aux iles Chester-
field du 84.- 12 au 30 juillet Rossiniana, Conus lozeti Richard, 1980. In 1978, I stud- 26: 9-10.
ied the specimen in MNHN, on which Richard IREDALE, T., 1929. Mollusca from the continen-
tal shelf of eastern Australia.- Rec. Aust. his in 1980. the founded new species At time, I Mus., 1_7: 157-189.
identified it as C. amadis Gmelin, 1791, with KOSUGE, S., 1985. Noteworthy Mollusca from
North-western Australia (1).- Preliminary re- an abnormal plica on the columella. It differs 2 58-59. port.- Bull. Inst. Mai., (3) ï
1981. from C. luciae in its more convex sides of the MARSHALL, B.A., New records of Conidae
from the New Zealand region.- N.Z. Jl. Zool. body whorl, a flat spire with canaliculated 8: 493-501.
lozeti whorls and an "amadis" —like colour pattern. The RICHARD, G., 1980. Conus (Leptoconus)
l'Océan Indien liste des sp. nov. de et holotype from Madagascar is the only known conservés Muséum types de Conidae au natio-
specimen. nal d'Histoire naturelle de Paris.- Cah.
Indo-Pacif., 2: 91-100.
RICHER DE B. & R. PIANET. 1984. Résul- FORGES, ,
Conus wallangra Garrard, 1961. This species tats préliminaires de la campagne Chalcal à
bord du N.O. Coriolis (12-31 juillet 1984).- based shell seems, on morphological characters, Rapps. sci. techn., 32: 1-30.
closely related to the new species. It has the
fold the columella same strong projecting on
in and bat differs being generally smaller more
triangular in shape. The shoulder is more cari-
nated and there are about 5-7 distinct grooves R.G. Moolenbeek,
the whorls of the is known from Instituut Taxonomische on spire. It voor Zoologie, off southern Queensland and New South Wales (Zoôlogisch Museum),
is Postbus (Australia), so a sympatric occurrence possi- 20125,
ble. 1000 HC Amsterdam,
The Netherlands.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Received : 18.11.1986
I am grateful to Dr. Philippe Bouchet (MNHN, Distributed : 18.VII.1986