Conus nussatella Linnaeus, 1758

Franklin, J. Benjamin, Subramanian, K. A., Fernando, S. Antony & Krishnan, K. S., 2009, 2250, Zootaxa 2250, pp. 1-63 : 41-42

43. Conus nussatella Linnaeus, 1758 (Figure 44)

Conus nussatella Linnaeus, 1758: 716 , no. 273 (lectotype, LSL (49 x 18 mm) ( Kohn 1963); "Nussatello Insulam, Asiae").

Conus nussatella var. tenuis Sowerby I, 1834 : pt. 54, fig. 62 (representation of lectotype, Sowerby I 1834: pt. 54, fig. 62 (35 x 12 mm) ( Kohn 1992); "ad Insulam Annaa").

Hermes kawanishii Shikama, 1970: 26–27 , pl. 1, fig. 28 (holotype, GIYU (36.5 x 13.5 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); locality unknown).

Material examined: MBMCS 143 , 1 specimen, SL 54 mm; SW 20 mm .

Description. Shell medium-sized, moderately solid. Body whorl narrowly cylindrical; outline straight, parallel-sided at upper two thirds. Shoulder indistinct. Spire of moderate height, outline convex. Body whorl with fine, weakly granulose spiral ribs from base to shoulder; intervening grooves spirally striate. Aperture wide at base than near shoulder; outer lip straight, sharp and thick.

Ground colour light cream with spiral rows of small dark brown spots and variably sized orange brown axial blotches coalescing axially as well as spirally, especially concentrating above and below the centre. Aperture white.

Distribution. Conus nussatella has been recorded from Madras ( Melvill & Standen, 1898) and Shingle Island ( Satyamurti 1952). Kohn (1978) collected an empty shell from Ohka and also reported one specimen in ANSP trawled off south India by fishermen.

A specimen reported herein from Tuticorin ( Table 6) was collected from the trash discard. The depth and nature of substratum was not known.

Remarks. Although known to be present on both east and west coasts, this species appears to be very rare along the TamilNadu Coast.