Profundiconus puillandrei Tenorio & Castelin, 2016

Figs 2, 12–13

Profundiconus puillandrei Tenorio & Castelin, 2016: 28, figs 12a–j, 13a–d, 14.

Conus smirna (non C. smirna Bartsch & Rehder, 1943) – Marshall 1981: 499, fig. 3j.

Conus sp. C – R̂ckel et al. 1995a: 585, fig. 49.

Conus ikedai (non C. ikedai Ninomiya, 1987) – Poppe 2008: pl. 615 fig. 1a–b.

Profundiconus n. sp. g. – Puillandre et al. 2014: supplementary material 1 (unfigured).

Profundiconus puillandrei – Monnier et al. 2018a: 142.

Material examined

49 lots (93 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype NEW CALEDONIA • 43.2 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Jumeau Est, off New Caledonia, stn DW1707; 23°43′S, 168°16′ E; 381–493 m depth; 25 June 2001; NORFOLK 1 expedition; MNHN-IM-2000-30771 (Fig. 12A, M).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 39.6 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Aramis, off New Caledonia, stn DW2072; 25º21′ S, 168º57′ E; 1000‒1005 m depth; 26 Oct. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12B) • 40.7 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Zorro, off New Caledonia, stn DW2077; 25º21′ S, 168º19′ E; 666‒1000 m depth; 27 Oct. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12C) • 35 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Porthos, off New Caledonia, stn DW2068; 25º20′ S, 168º57′ E; 680‒980 m depth; 26 Oct. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12D) • 31.7 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Athos, off New Caledonia, stn DW2066; 25º17′ S, 168º55′ E; 834‒870 m depth; 26 Oct. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12E, L) • 43.6 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Zorro, off New Caledonia, stn DW2074; 25º24′ S, 168º20′ E; 623‒691 m depth; 27 Oct. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12F) • 45.2 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Jumeau Est, off New Caledonia, stn DW2054; 23º40′ S, 168º15′ E; 736‒800 m depth; 24 Oct. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12G) • 57.3 mm; off New Caledonia, stn DW3907; 19°50′ S, 165°33′ E; 608‒671 m depth; 23 Sep. 2011; EXBODI expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12H) • 19.7 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Athos, off New Caledonia, stn DW2066; 25º17′ S, 168º55′ E; 834‒870 m depth; 26 Oct. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12I) • 39.6 mm; Loyalty Ridge, off New Caledonia, stn DW776; 24º44′ S, 170º08′ E; 770‒830 m depth; 24 Nov. 1993; BATHUS 3 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12J) • 18.2 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Banc Athos, off New Caledonia, stn DW2065; 25º16′ S, 168º56′ E; 750‒800 m depth; 26 Oct. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 12K) .

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

In New Caledonia, most specimens were sampled in locations across Norfolk Ridge, but also on the Loyalty Ridge and in the New Hebrides Arc (Hunter Island), at depths ranging from 300 to 1000 m and beyond, typically at between 500 and 900 m (Fig. 13). Also present in Kermadec Ridge, New Zealand, where several specimens were dredged alive from 1030–1180 m off Curtis Island, making this species one of the deepest-living ones among the known cone snails. Several empty shells matching P. puillandrei from Balut Island, Mindanao, Philippines, have been examined. The identity of these specimens from the Philippines could not be confirmed by radular or DNA studies, but the conchological features seem consistent with the identification of these specimens as P. puillandrei . This might represent a significant range extension to the southern Philippines (Tenorio & Castelin 2016).

Remarks

Shell moderately small to medium-sized (maximum length 57.0 mm). Protoconch multispiral, with 3–3.5 whorls, white to yellow-brown (Fig. 12L). The shell of P. puillandrei has a distinct shoulder ridge, usually smooth but sometimes nodulose. Nodulose specimens may resemble a small Profundiconus teramachii . However, this species attains a larger size, has a lower spire and usually exhibits a broadly carinate shoulder. Radular tooth (Fig. 12M) small. Anterior portion of tooth shorter than posterior section, bearing one barb and a pointed blade which covers 50–62% of anterior portion of tooth. External cusp present, laterally widened and serrated, with 4–5 small denticles. Fringe of closely spaced projections pointing towards apex immediately below waist. Shaft fold present. Slanted base with a large and prominent basal spur. The sequenced specimens of P. puillandrei, both smooth and nodulose at the shoulder, form a clade sister to Profundiconus neotorquatus (da Motta, 1985), P. neocaledonicus, P. teramachii and P. smirnoides (Fig. 2).