Conus pertusus Hwass

Franklin, J. Benjamin, Subramanian, K. A., Fernando, S. Antony & Krishnan, K. S., 2009, 2250, Zootaxa 2250, pp. 1-63 : 42

44. Conus pertusus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 (Figure 45)

Conus pertusus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792: 686–687, no. 75 (lectotype, MHNG (50.5 x 24.5 mm) ( Walls 1979); "les mers des grandes Indes").

Conus amabilis Lamarck, 1810: 425 , no. 137 (lectotype, MHNG (29 x 16 mm) ( Kohn 1981); "Mers des grandes Indes").

Conus festivus Dillwyn, 1817: 413 , no. 116 (lectotype, ZMUC (23x 13 mm) ( Kohn 1986); "Molucca Islands").

Material examined: MBMCS144 , 3 specimens, SL 40–45 mm; SW 25–28 mm .

Description. Shell moderately small and moderately heavy with high gloss. Body whorl conical, outline convex just below shoulder, straight below. Shoulder angulate. Spire of moderate height, outline convex, apex sharp. Aperture narrow, slightly wider anteriorly; outer lip thin, sharp, and straight. Body whorl smooth except for a few weak spiral ribs at base.

Ground colour white, body whorl with orange red blotches fusing into two variably broad spiral bands on each side of the centre. Adapical and central white bands crossed by axial blotches. Aperture pale pink.

Distribution. Kohn (2001) first reported this species from India without giving precise locality data.

The specimens described herein were collected from Mandapam and Keelakarai ( Table 6) by trawling in 8–20 m, around coral islands of Gulf of Mannar .

Remarks. Except Kohn (2001), no previous record of C. pertusus is known from India. This species is probably restricted to the Gulf of Mannar and appears to be a rare species along the TamilNadu Coast.