Conus (Kurodaconus) stupella ( Kuroda, 1956 )

Tenorio, Manuel J. & Puillandre, Nicolas, 2023, Revision of the deep-water cone snail fauna from New Caledonia (Gastropoda, Conoidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 896, pp. 1-134 : 91

Conus (Kurodaconus) stupella ( Kuroda, 1956)

Fig. 61D, K

Embrikena stupella Kuroda, 1956: 1 , pl. 1 fig. 3.

Conus stupella – R̂ckel et al. 1995b: no. 122, pl. 28 figs 4–6.

Kurodaconus stupella – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 379.

Turriconus (Kurodaconus) stupella – Monnier et al. 2018a: 344.

Material examined

1 lot (1 specimen). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype JAPAN • 72.5 mm; off Tosa ; 110–128 m depth; THTA.

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 40.5 mm; Grand Passage , off New Caledonia, stn DW2985; 18°59′ S, 163°06′ E; 277‒289 m depth; 5 May 2008; CONCALIS expedition; MNHN ( Fig. 61D ) .

TAIWAN • 68.7 mm; MJT coll. ( Fig. 61K ).

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

Japan to Taiwan and the Philippines. This is the first record from New Caledonia, where one single specimen was sampled in the Grand Passage area, at depths between 277‒ 289 m.

Remarks

Shell moderately large to large (maximum shell length 100 mm), ventricosely conical to broadly and ventricosely conical, with a high, stepped spire of straight profile. Early spire whorls tuberculated. Shoulder subangulate to rounded. Color of the last whorl white or pale violet, with spiral rows of brown spots. Radular tooth ( Fig. 61K ) very elongated, with the anterior portion of about equal length as the posterior section. The tooth is serrated with about 40 minute denticles arranged in two rows, ending on a small, pointed terminating cusp. Barb small. Blade rounded, covering about 40% of the anterior section of the tooth. Small basal spur on top of the base. The radular analysis is based on a specimen from Taiwan, as no live specimens were sampled from New Caledonia. For this reason, it was not included in the phylogeny. This is a species very similar to C. (K.) stupa . However, apart from the differences in shell pattern, the very different radular morphologies suggests that C. (K.) stupella and C. (K.) stupa are not synonyms of each other, as it has often been considered.

Figures

Fig. 61. A–C. Conus (Kurodaconus) darkiniR̂ckel, Korn & Richard, 1993. A. Holotype, Loyalty Ridge, 530‒575 m depth, 55.6 mm (MNHN-IM-2000-2568). B. Récif Pétrie, off New Caledonia, 448‒464 m depth, 57.3 mm. C. Banc Munida, Norfolk Ridge, 564‒590 m depth, 78 mm. – D. Conus (Kurodaconus) stupella Kuroda, 1956. Grand Passage, 277‒289 m depth, 40.5 mm. – E–H. Conus (Kurodaconus) stupa (Kuroda, 1956). E. Banc Munida, Norfolk Ridge, 372‒393 m depth, 81.1 mm. F. Banc Munida, Norfolk Ridge, 547‒560 m depth, 81.3 mm. G. Loyalty Ridge, 430 m depth, 73.3 mm. H. Banc Munida, Norfolk Ridge, 402‒410 m depth, 36.5 mm. – I. C. (K.) darkini. Radular tooth of specimen B. – J. C. (K.) stupa. Radular tooth of specimen G. – K. C. (K.) stupella. Radular tooth of a specimen from Taiwan, 68.7 mm (MJT coll.). Scale bars = 10 mm, unless otherwise stated.