Conus arenatus Hwass

Franklin, J. Benjamin, Subramanian, K. A., Fernando, S. Antony & Krishnan, K. S., 2009, 2250, Zootaxa 2250, pp. 1-63 : 19-20

6. Conus arenatus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 (Figure 7)

Conus arenatus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792: 621–622, no. 16 (lectotype, MHNG (35.5 x 19.5 mm) ( Kohn 1968); "des Isles Philippines ").

Cucullus arenosus Röding, 1798: 40 , no. 494 (representation of lectotype, Martini 1773: pl. 63, fig. 696 (Kohn 1975); locality unknown).

Cucullus stercusmuscarum Röding, 1798: 40 , no. 495 (representation of lectotype, Martini 1773: pl. 63, fig. 697 (25 x 13 mm) (Kohn 1975); locality unknown).

Conus arenatus var. punctisminutissimus Lamarck, 1822: 452 , no. 18b.

Conus arenatus var. granulosa Lamarck, 1822: 452 , no. 18c.

Conus arenatus var. mesokatharos Tryon, 1883: 18 , pl. 27, fig. 2 (holotype, NMWC (28 x 15 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); locality unknown).

Conus aequipunctata Dautzenberg, 1937: 31 , pl. 1, fig. 2 (holotype, IRSN (55 x 32 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); "the Red Sea coast at Jiddah ( Saudi Arabia)").

Conus arenatus var. undata Dautzenberg, 1937: 31 , pl. 1, fig. 3 ("Amboine").

Conus arenatus var. granulosa Dautzenberg, 1937: 32 , pl. 1, fig. 4 ("Amboine").

Conus arenatus bizona Coomans, 1981: 16–18 , figs. 98, 131 (holotype, ZMA (35 x 20 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); " Malindi, Kenya ").

Material examined: MBMCS 106 , 8 specimens, SL 25–42 mm; SW 12–18 mm .

Description. Shell medium sized to large, moderately solid to moderately heavy. Body whorl ventricosely conical, outline convex. Siphonal fasciole distinct, occasionally separated from basal zone by an incision. Shoulder rounded, indistincty tuberculate. Spire low, outline moderately convex. Body whorl with weak spiral ribs at base, ribs granulose and extend to shoulder in small shells. Aperture narrow posteriorly, wide anteriorly; outer lip thick, convex.

Ground colour white. Body whorl with spiral rows of widely spaced brown dots, clustered in two interrupted spiral bands, and one above centre and the other near the base; dotted areas often with underlying grey shadows, most conspicuous within spiral bands. White dashes often irregularly alternating with brown dots. Early spire whorls white. Spire with radial clusters of brown dots. Aperture white.

Distribution. Kohn (1978) reported two museum specimens of C. arenatus , one from Tuticorin (at BMNH) and another labeled “ Bombay ” (at NMW).

The specimens described herein were collected from Pamban ( Table 6) by trawling in 10–40 m.

Remarks. The last whorl has widely spaced dark brown dots, as opposed to narrowly spaced dots reported by Kohn (1978).