Conus (Turriconus) andremenezi (Olivera & Biggs, 2010 )

Tenorio, Manuel J. & Puillandre, Nicolas, 2023, Revision of the deep-water cone snail fauna from New Caledonia (Gastropoda, Conoidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 896, pp. 1-134 : 117

Conus (Turriconus) andremenezi (Olivera & Biggs, 2010)

Figs 2 , 87A–H, L–M , 88

Conus andremenezi Olivera & Biggs in Biggs et al., 2010: 4, figs 1–2, 6.

Turriconus andremenezi – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 83.

Turriconus (Turriconus) andremenezi – Monnier et al. 2018a: 339.

Material examined

20 lots (24 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype PHILIPPINES • 36.7 mm; Aliguay Island ; 150 m depth; Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines ( Fig. 87A ).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 47.1 mm; along Passe d’Ounia, off New Caledonia, stn CP3823; 21°55′ S, 166°55′ E; 246‒255 m depth; 7 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87B ) • 40.4 mm; along Passe d’Ounia, off New Caledonia, stn CP3827; 21°58′ S, 166°57′ E; 220‒232 m depth; 8 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87C ) • 43.3 mm; Passe du Solitaire, off New Caledonia, stn CP3813; 21°46′ S, 166°38′ E; 251‒281 m depth; 6 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig.89D ) • 44.2 mm; along Toupeti, off New Caledonia, stn CP3806; 21°42′ S, 166°34′ E; 307‒309 m depth; 5 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87E ) • 45.5 mm; along Passe d’Ounia, off New Caledonia, stn CP3827; 21°58′ S, 166°57′ E; 220‒232 m depth; 8 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87F ) • 44.7 mm; off SE New Caledonia, stn CP853; 21º45′ S, 166º37′ E; 241‒250 m depth; 19 Mar. 1994; HALIPRO 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87G, L ) • 32.6 mm; off east coast New Caledonia, stn CP712; 21º44′ S, 166º35′ E; 210 m depth; 19 Mar. 1993; BATHUS 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 87H, M ) .

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

Philippines, eastern Malaysia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. In New Caledonia it is present along the south-eastern coast, Coral Sea, Norfolk Ridge and Loyalty Islands, at depths between 220‒ 232 m.

Remarks

Medium-sized biconical shell (maximum shell length 53 mm) with a high spire of concave outline. Last whorl with raised, often nodulose spiral ribs. Protoconch multispiral of about 3.5 whorls ( Fig. 87L ). Last whorl off-white ground color with purplish-brown spots, which may cover several spiral ribs and extend into the interspaces. There is a great variability in shell shape and pattern. Radular tooth ( Fig. 87M ) with the anterior section shorter than the posterior section. Tooth serrated with 8–9 denticles arranged in one row, ending on a very large and pointed cusp. Barb very large, sharp and pointed. Blade reduced, indistinct, restricted to the apical portion. Basal spur absent or vestigial. Base rounded. Conus (Turriconus) andremenezi is most similar to Conus (T.) praecellens A. Adams, 1854 , and is difficult to separate from it based on conchological features only. Furthermore, C. (T.) praecellens constitutes a species complex, and at least some of the species have been disentangled using morphological and DNA approaches ( Biggs et al. 2010). We have examined 20 lots containing 24 praecellens -like specimens from New Caledonia. Seven of these specimens were sequenced, and they all grouped together in a clade which also contained the holotype of C. (T.) andremenezi ( Fig. 2 ). Hence, all these specimens were identified as C. (T.) andremenezi . The non-sequenced or dead collected specimens have been tentatively identified as C. (T.) andremenezi as well, based on shell morphology. However, some of these specimens might actually correspond to another species within the C. (T.) praecellens complex. At this stage we can only confirm the occurrence of C. (T.) andremenezi in New Caledonia.

Figures

Fig. 2. Cox1-based Bayesian phylogeny. Posterior probabilities (> 0.95) and bootstrap values (> 90) from the ML analysis are provided for each node. Intraspecific relationships are collapsed. Subgenus names are indicated on the right.

Fig. 87. A–H. Conus (Turriconus) andremenezi (Olivera & Biggs, 2010). A. Holotype, Aliguay Island, Philippines, 150 m depth, 36.7 mm (Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines). B. Along Passe d’Ounia, off New Caledonia, 246‒255 m depth, 47.1 mm (MNHN-IM-2009-29237). C. Along Passe d’Ounia, off New Caledonia, 220‒232 m depth, 40.4 mm (MNHN-IM-2009-29232). D. Passe du Solitaire, off New Caledonia, 251‒281 m depth, 43.3 mm (MNHN-IM-2009-31346). E. Along Toupeti, off New Caledonia, 307‒309 m depth, 44.2 mm (MNHN-IM-2009-31347). F. Same collection data as for specimen C, 45.5 mm (MNHN-IM-2009-31349). G. SE New Caledonia, 241‒250 m depth, 44.7 mm. H. East coast, off New Caledonia, 210 m depth, 32.6 mm. – I–K. Conus (Turriconus) miniexcelsus (Olivera & Biggs, 2010). I. Holotype, Aliguay Island, Philippines, 30‒150 m depth, 20.3 mm (Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines). J. Banc Munida, Norfolk Ridge, 180‒220 m depth, 22 mm (MNHN-IM-2007-34852). K. S Lansdowne, Coral Sea, 289‒294 m depth, 32.3 mm. – L–M. Conus (Turriconus) andremenezi. L. Protoconch of specimen G. M. Radular tooth of specimen H. – N. Conus (Turriconus) miniexcelsus. Radular tooth of specimen J. Scale bars = 10 mm, unless otherwise stated.

Fig. 88. Bathymetric range and distribution map for Conus (Turriconus) andremenezi (Olivera & Biggs, 2010). Red circles indicate the points where the species was collected.

Fig. 89. Conus (Turriconus) excelsus G.B. Sowerby III, 1908. A. Holotype, New Caledonia, 88.5 mm (NHMUK 1908.5.30.1). B. SE Terrasses, off New Caledonia, 260 m depth, 68.1 mm. C. Banc Kaimon Maru, Norfolk Ridge, 231‒233 m depth, 112.5 mm. D. Dorsal view of specimen C. E. Loyalty Ridge, 283 m depth, 59 mm. F. Same collection data as for specimen E, 53.8 mm. G. Banc Munida, Norfolk Ridge, 550 m depth, 71.6 mm. H. Loyalty Ridge, 280 m depth, 31 mm. I. Loyalty Ridge, 390 m depth, 36.4 mm. J. Loyalty Ridge, 240 m depth, 24.2 mm. K. Same collection data as for specimen J, 14.2 mm. L. Protoconch of specimen H. M. Radula of a specimen from the Philippines, 91 mm (Atheris coll.). Scale bars = 10 mm, unless otherwise stated.