Conus (Splinoconus) capitanellus Fulton, 1938

Figs 2, 73–74

Conus capitanellus Fulton, 1938: 55, pl. 3 fig. 1–1a.

Conus capitanellus – R̂ckel et al. 1995b: no. 99, pl. 24 figs 24–26.

Stellaconus capitanellus – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 125.

Kioconus (Isoconus) capitanellus – Monnier et al. 2018a: 546.

Material examined

137 lots (371 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype JAPAN • 58 mm; Kii; NHMUK 1938.7.13.10 (Fig. 73A).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 33.3 mm; Norfolk Ridge, off New Caledonia, stn DW154; 24º46′ S, 168º08′ E; 235–252 m depth; 28 Jan. 1993; SMIB 8 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 73B) • 30.2 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN (Fig. 73C) • 31.6 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN (Fig. 73D) • 23.9 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN (Fig. 73E) • 29.1 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN (Fig. 73F) • 35.6 mm; off S New Caledonia, stn DW71; 24º42′ S, 168º10′ E; 230 m depth; 27 Oct. 1986; CHALCAL 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 73G) • 26.8 mm; Norfolk Ridge, off New Caledonia, stn DW159; 24º46′ S, 168º08′ E; 241‒245 m depth; 28 Jan. 1993; SMIB 8 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 73H) • 30.8 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN (Fig. 73I) • 36.9 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN (Fig. 73J) • 13.7 mm; Norfolk Ridge, off New Caledonia, stn DW165; 24º47′ S, 168º10′ E; 372‒660 m depth; 28 Jan. 1993; SMIB 8 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 73K) • S Lansdowne, off New Caledonia, stn DW2631; 21º03′ S, 160º44′ E; 373–404 m depth; 21 Oct. 2005; EBISCO expedition; MNHN (Fig. 73L) • 29.4 mm; Norfolk Ridge, off New Caledonia, stn DW154; 24º46′ S, 168º08′ E; 235– 252 m depth; 28 Jan. 1993; SMIB 8 expedition (Fig. 73M).

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

Japan to the Philippines. Widespread in New Caledonia, including Grand Passage area, Norfolk Ridge, Loyalty Ridge, New Hebrides Arc and the Coral Sea, at depths between 200 and 400 m.

Remarks

Shell moderately small to medium-sized (maximum shell length 40 mm). Conical with a low spire of straight or concave profile. Protoconch multispiral (Fig. 73L) of 3 to 3.5 whorls. Last whorl white, usually patterned with two broad brown spiral bands on each side of the centre, and brown axial streaks. Radular tooth (Fig. 73M) narrow and elongated, with the anterior section longer than the posterior section. Tooth serrated with 30–32 denticles in one row, becoming 2–3 rows below. The denticles are minute on the apical portion, but become coarser towards the small, pointed terminating cusp. Barb small. 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. This is one of the most abundant species in the deep-water New Caledonian cone fauna. Many specimens from New Caledonia and the Coral Sea have been sequenced (Fig. 2) and all form a clade, sister to Conus (Splinoconus) hamamotoi Yoshiba & Koyama, 1984 .