Conus consors Sowerby I, 1833

Franklin, J. Benjamin, Subramanian, K. A., Fernando, S. Antony & Krishnan, K. S., 2009, 2250, Zootaxa 2250, pp. 1-63 : 25-26

16. Conus consors Sowerby I, 1833 (Figure 17)

Conus consors Sowerby I, 1833 : pt. 36, fig. 42 (representation of lectotype, Sowerby I 1833: pt. 36, fig. 42 (62 x 34 mm) ( Kohn 1992); " Singapore ").

Conus anceps A. Adams, 1854: 118 (lectotype, BMNH (78 x 36 mm) ( Coomans et al. 1980); " Moluccas ").

Conus innexus A. Adams, 1854: 119 (syntype, BMNH (48 x 22 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); "Natal").

Conus daullei Crosse, 1858: 119–120 , pl. 2, figs. 2, 2a ("insulam Mayotte ").

Conus poehlianus Sowerby III, 1887: 257 , no. 474, pl. 31, figs. 682, 683 (holotype, BMNH (48 x 22 mm) ( Röckel et al.

1995); " New Ireland ".

Conus turschi da Motta, 1985b: 1–7 , pl. 1, figs. 1, 2; pl. 2, fig. 4 (holotype, MHNG (82.5 x 35 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); "Andaman Sea off Kantang, South West Thailand ").

Material examined: MBMCS 116 , 4 specimens, SL 42–66 mm; SW 25–48 mm .

Description. Shell medium sized, moderately solid to heavy. Body whorl narrowly conical; outline convex adapically; with high gloss; about 10 to 12 low, rounded spiral ridges above the base separated by shallow, weakly punctuate grooves; rest of the body whorl with numerous spiral and axial threads and growth lines. Shoulder broad, rounded and narrower than body whorl immediately anterior to it. Spire moderately low, sharply pointed, sides straight. Aperture fairly wide, outer lip slightly concave in the middle.

Body whorl pale yellow with two spiral bands above and below the centre; spiral band above the centre is broader. Colour of bands ranges from yellowish brown to dark brown. Usually indistinct dark brownish axial streaks on the spiral band, spire yellowish to tan, almost with a few pale brown spots and streaks near sutures, the pattern indistinct. Aperture bluish white. Periostracum thin, transparent and brown.

Distribution. Röckel et al. (1995) and Kohn (2001) reported C. consors from India without precise locality data.

The specimens reported herein were collected from Pamban and Keelakarai ( Table 6) by trawling in 20– 30 m and 30–50 m.

Remarks. Conus consors appears to be a rare species along the TamilNadu Coast.