Africonus diminutus ( Trovão & Rolán, 1986 )

Tenorio, Manuel J., Abalde, Samuel, Pardos-Blas, José R. & Zardoya, Rafael, 2020, Taxonomic revision of West African cone snails (Gastropoda: Conidae) based upon mitogenomic studies: implications for conservation, European Journal of Taxonomy 663 (663), pp. 1-89 : 22

Africonus diminutus ( Trovão & Rolán, 1986)

Fig. 3O

Conus diminutus Trovão & Rolán, 1986: 10 , figs 3a–c.

Africonus morroensis Cossignani & Fiadeiro, 2014a: 17 .

Conus diminutus – Monteiro et al. 2004: 40, pls 96–97.

Material examined

Holotype (not examined)

Holotype (type locality: Cabo Verde; Boa Vista Island, Baía de Sal Rei; intertidal to 1 m depth) stated to be at MNCN in Trovão & Rolán (1986), but apparently it was never deposited (as per a note in the collection). Instead, a lot of three paratypes was present, with registration number MNCN 15.05/1011. We have selected the specimen from which the mitogenome was sequenced as neotype for the taxon Conus diminutus Trovão & Rolán, 1986 .

Neotype (here designated)

CABO VERDE • 14.8 mm; Boa Vista Island, Ilheu de Sal Rei; 16º9ʹ50ʺ N, 22º55ʹ31ʺ W; 3 Jul. 2013; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491566 ; MNCN 15.05/80416 ( Fig. 3O ).

Other material

CABO VERDE • 1 spec.; Boa Vista Island, Morro de Areia ; 16º5ʹ24ʺ N, 22º57ʹ7ʺ W; 3 Jul. 2013; MNCN exped.; GenBank mitochondrion, partial genome: MF491594 ; MNCN 15.05/79960 .

Geographical distribution

West and northwest coast of Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde Archipelago.

Conservation status in IUCN Red List

Near threatened. Status revision required.

Remarks

Africonus diminutus is a small, highly variable species endemic to the west coast of Boa Vista Island. Whereas typical specimens of A. diminutus are found around the locality of Sal Rei, specimens from Morro de Areia introduced under the name A. morroensis exhibit almost identical mitogenome sequences despite the variations in shell morphology, and are considered conspecific with A. diminutus . This represents a significant expansion of the distribution range for the species. According to the reconstructed phylogeny, A. diminutus is sister to A. boavistensis , also very variable in shell pattern and widely distributed around Boa Vista Island.

Figures

Fig. 3 (opposite page). A. Africonus antoniaensis Cossignani & Fiadeiro, 2014, 14.5 mm (MNCN 15.05/79889). B. Conus antoniomonteiroi Rolán, 1990,holotype, 16.8 mm (MNCN 15.05/1100). C. Conus bellulus Rolán, 1990, holotype, 18.9 mm (MNCN 15.05/1098). D. Conus boavistensis Rolán & Fernandes in Rolán, 1990, holotype, 13.2 mm (MNCN, 15.05/1089). E. Africonus borgesi (Trovão, 1979), 30.5 mm (MNCN 15.05/88646). F. Conus navarroi calhetae Rolán, 1990, holotype, 26.8 mm (MNCN 15.05/1096). G. Conus crotchii Reeve, 1849, neotype, 22.5 mm (MNCN 15.05/79971). H. Conus irregularis G.B. Sowerby II, 1858, lectotype, 28.3 mm (NHMUK 197871/1). I. Africonus cuneolus (Reeve, 1843), 28.2 mm (MNCN, 15.05/79712). J. Conus curralensis Rolán, 1986, holotype, 17 mm (MNCN 15.05/1010). K. Africonus damottai (Trovão, 1979), 18.2 mm (MNCN 15.05/80401). L. Africonus decoratus (Röckel, Rolán & Monteiro, 1980), 23.1 mm (MNCN 15.05/78589). M. Africonus delanoyae (Trovão, 1979), 27.6 mm (MNCN 15.05/80397). N. Africonus denizi Afonso & Tenorio, 2011, holotype, 11.6 mm (MNCN 15.05/60000). O. Conus diminutus Trovão & Rolán, 1986, neotype, 14.8 mm (MNCN 15.05/80416). P. Africonus espingueirensis Cossignani & Fiadeiro, 2017, holotype, 9.7 mm (MMM). Scale bars = 10 mm