Conus (Splinoconus) dayriti, Rockel & da Motta, 1983

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 : 101

Conus (Splinoconus) dayriti R̂ckel & da Motta, 1983

Figs 75A–G, M , 76

Conus dayriti Röckel & da Motta, 1983: 118 , pl. 40 figs 5–6.

Conus dayriti – R̂ckel et al. 1995b: no. 241, pl. 52 figs 11–15.

Boucheticonus dayriti – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 161. — Monnier et al. 2018a: 208.

Material examined

10 lots (14 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype PHILIPPINES • 20.5 mm; Punta Engaño , Cebu; 73–146 m depth; NMSF ( Fig. 75A ).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 23.5 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Crypthélia, off New Caledonia, stn DW3072; 23°19′ S, 168°16′ E; 180‒220 m depth; 23 Oct. 2008; TERRASSES expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 75B ) • 23.9 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN ( Fig. 75C, H ) • 23.8 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN ( Fig. 75D ) • 20.6 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc P, off New Caledonia, stn DW1726; 23º18′ S, 168º15′ E; 185‒207 m depth; 27 Jun. 2001; NORFOLK 1 expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 75E ) • 29.5 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN ( Fig. 75F ) • 19.2 mm; Grand Passage, off New Caledonia, stn DW2963; 18º22′ S, 162º59′ E; 220‒240 m depth; 2 May 2008; CONCALIS expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 75G ) • 11.9 mm; off Aliguay Island , Philippines, stn DW2374 8º43′ N, 123º14′ E; 105– 109 m depth; 28 May 2005; PANGLAO 2005 expedition; MNHN-IM-2007-34848 ( Fig. 75M ) .

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

Philippines and New Caledonia, where it has been sampled in the Grand Passage area, Norfolk Ridge, Loyalty Ridge and New Hebrides Arc (outside New Caledonia EEZ), at depths between 70 to 500 m.

Remarks

Shell small to medium-sized (maximum shell length 36 mm). Conical to ventricosely conical, with an angulate shoulder and a low to moderate spire of straight profile. The multispiral protoconch ( Fig. 75H ) of more than 3 whorls projects above the teleoconch whorls. Last whorl colored with pastel shades of pink and orange, occasionally completely white ( Fig. 75G ). Sparse pattern of irregular cloudy blotches and interrupted spiral bands of white and brown-orange dots. Radular tooth ( Fig. 75M ) narrow and elongated, with the anterior section longer than the posterior section. Tooth serrated with 12–13 denticles in one row. The denticles are well-spaced to each other within the anterior section, ending on an almost indistinct rounded cusp. Barb small but well-marked. Blade prominent but not sharply pointed, covering about 50% of the anterior section of the tooth. Basal spur present on top of the rather small, rounded base. No live specimens from New Caledonia were sampled. The analogies in shell morphology with Conasprella (Boucheticonus) alisi had placed this species in the (sub)genus Boucheticonus (Tucker & Tenorio 2013; Monnier et al. 2018a). However, DNA study of one specimen of this species from the Philippines showed that it was not a conasprellid ( Puillandre et al. 2014). Conus dayriti is sister to the clade formed by C. (S.) capitanellus and hence it is placed in the subgenus Splinoconus . The radular morphology ( Fig. 75M ) is consistent with this taxonomic placement.

Figures

Fig. 75. A–H. Conus (Splinoconus) dayriti R̂ckel & da Motta, 1983. A. Holotype, Punta Engaño, Cebu, Philippines, 73–146 m depth, 20.5 mm (NMSF). B. Banc Crypthélia, Norfolk Ridge, 180‒220 m depth, 23.5 mm. C. Same collection data as for specimen B, 23.9 mm. D. Same collection data as for specimen B, 23.8 mm. E. Banc P, Norfolk Ridge, 185‒207 m depth, 20.6 mm. F. Same collection data as for specimen E, 29.5 mm. G. Grand Passage, 220‒240 m depth, 19.2 mm. H. Protoconch of specimen C. – I–L. Conus (Splinoconus) martensi E.A. Smith, 1884. I. Holotype, 24 mm (NHMUK). J. Norfolk Ridge, 386‒390 m depth, 22.4 mm. K. East coast, off New Caledonia, 94‒100, 36.5 mm. L. Same collection data as for specimen K, 27.8 mm. – M. C. (S.) dayriti. Radular tooth, off Aliguay Island, Philippines, 105‒109 m depth, 11.9 mm (MNHN-IM-2007-34848). – N. C. (S.) martensi. Radular tooth, Pouembout, 22 mm (Franck Leterrier coll.). Scale bars = 10 mm, unless otherwise stated.

Fig. 76. Bathymetric range and distribution map for Conus (Splinoconus) dayriti R̂ckel & da Motta, 1983. Red circles indicate the points where the species was collected.