Conus monile Hwass

Franklin, J. Benjamin, Subramanian, K. A., Fernando, S. Antony & Krishnan, K. S., 2009, 2250, Zootaxa 2250, pp. 1-63 : 41

42. Conus monile Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 (Figure 43)

Conus monile Hwass in Bruguière, 1792: 646–647, no. 45 (lectotype, MHNG (70 x 36 mm) (Kohn 1968); "Ocean Asiatique").

Cucullus cereolus Röding, 1798: 44 , no. 557/67 (representation of lectotype, Chemnitz 1788: pl. 140, fig. 1301 (52 x 25 mm) (Kohn 1975); locality unknown).

Material examined: MBMCS142 , 157 specimens, SL 66–120 mm; SW 35–42 mm .

Description. Shell medium to large, moderately heavy, and conical with high gloss; sides nearly straight. Body whorl conical, outline variably convex over adapical fourth to third and straight below. Body whorl with a few weak spiral ridges above the base and sometimes conspicuous axial threads. Shoulder broad, carinate to angulate, concave above. Spire of low to moderate height.

Ground colour white or cream. Body whorl suffused or spirally banded with pale orange or pink. Spiral rows of brown dots, dashes and variously shaped spots extend from base to shoulder but vary in number and arrangement, often concentrated at both sides of the centre. Sometimes dark markings fuse into axial flames or blotches. Base pale orange or brown. Aperture white. Periostracum yellowish brown, thin, translucent to opaque, smooth or with fine axial ridges.

Distribution. Gravely (1942) first reported this species from Madras. Subsequently, Hornell (1949) recorded it from India without giving precise locality data. Kohn (1978) collected two specimens trawled off PortoNovo. He also reported museum specimens dredged off Madras (at MGM) and Tuticorin (at BMNH). Conus monile has also been recorded from Bombay along the west coast ( Subrahmanyam et al. 1952).

The specimens reported herein were collected from various stations ( Table 6) of the TamilNadu Coast by trawling in 9–40 m , mainly on sand and sandy-mud bottoms. However, at Periyakuppam it was collected in 5– 15 m.

Remarks. Although the shell shape is generally uniform, few specimens showed markedly elevated spire, and there is considerable variation in the colour pattern of the body whorl (Figure 62O). The occurrence of this species around the northern region suggests its preference for shallow sand and sandy-mud bottoms.