Conus (Stephanoconus) moissettei, Psarras & Merle & Koskeridou, 2022

Psarras, Christos, Merle, Didier & Koskeridou, Efterpi, 2022, Late Miocene Conidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Crete (Greece). Part 2, European Journal of Taxonomy 816, pp. 1-70 : 41-45

Conus (Stephanoconus) moissettei sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:057EF9CB-D76D-47D3-9545-699C1B7F5454

Figs 26–28 , 40L ; Table 12

Etymology

Species named after Pierre Moissette, member of the Action spécifique du Muséum project (1989–1990).

Material examined

Holotype GREECE – Crete • Adhraktia; Messara Basin ; 1990;Action spécifique du Muséum project (1989–1990) exped.; MNHN.F.A83071 .

Paratypes GREECE – Crete • 2 specs; same collection data as for holotype; MNHN.F.A83072 , MNHN.F.A83073 .

Other material

GREECE – Crete • 1 spec.; 1990; Action spécifique du Muséum project (1989–1990) exped .; MNHN.F.A83074 • 1 spec.; 1990; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN.F.A83075 • 1 spec.; 1990; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN.F.A83076 • 5 specs; 1990; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN.F.A83077 to MNHN.F.A83081 .

Shell description

Small shells (SL max.: 24.17 mm). Early spire whorls elevated, convex to conical, tuberculated. Later spire whorls smooth, straight to convex, with channelled suture. Spire whorl outline conical to slightly coeloconoid in early spire whorls, conical to convex in later spire whorls. Subsutural flexure shallow, moderately curved, moderately asymmetrical ( Fig. 40L ). Shoulder smooth, rounded to slightly angulated, with maximum diameter right below shoulder. Aperture of narrow to medium width, widening towards shell’s anterior part. Last whorl straight to slightly widened below shoulder. Fasciole short, slightly twisted. No spiral grooves on last whorl.

Description of colour pattern

On the spire whorls, the colour pattern consists of irregular, bright-fluorescent flammulae. On the last whorls, the first colour pattern level consists of three, widely spaced, fluorescent spiral bands. The bands exist near the shoulder, at the middle and anterior parts of the last whorl. The second level consists of very closely arranged, spiral lines of dashes, which can vary from very long to dot-like dashes ( Fig. 27 ). In between the dashes, non-fluorescent dashes exist, usually creating axially to diagonally spaced, nonfluorescent areas, in the form of blotches. The intensity of the fluorescent colours is not constant in the levels of patterns ( Fig. 28 ). The first level is illuminated with a fade-fluorescent colour. The colour intensity of the second level is axially directed, from fade-fluorescent to bright-fluorescent in colour, creating axially arranged, bright-fluorescent areas of dashes, suppressed by non-fluorescent blotches. The non-fluorescent dashes, between the fluorescent ones, are visible when the second pattern overlaps the first.

Remarks

This species is identifiable from the rest of the studied specimens in the small size of the shells and the intricate colour pattern variation of dashes and bands. Conus (Stephanoconus) cf. taurinensis is distinguishable from this species by the early highly conical spire whorls, the smoother spire whorl outline, with less inflated sutural ramps and a different colour pattern. The shell shape of Conus (Stephanoconus) moissettei sp. nov. resembles a specimen of Conus (sensu lato) vindobonensis Hoernes & Auinger, 1879 ( Harzhauser & Landau 2016: fig. 35e and discussion), but the Austrian species differs by a more elongated shell shape, a deeper subsutural flexure and spiral grooves on the anterior part of last whorl. Its colour pattern is not known.

Stratigraphic range

Tortonian of Greece (Crete) (this work).

Concluding remarks about Conus (Stephanoconus) Mörch, 1852

Here, this subgenus is identified in the Miocene of Europe for the first time. Three species are assigned to this subgenus: Conus (Stephanoconus) asterousiaensis ( Psarras & Koskeridou & Merle, 2021) , Conus (Stephanoconus) cf. taurinensis and Conus (Stephanoconus) moissettei sp. nov. The phylogenetic tree of Lin et al. (2021: fig. 2) points to C. genuanus and C. chiangi being closely related (see Remarks for Conus (Stephanoconus) . The Cretan species represent a link between the West African and the Indo-Pacific species.

Figures

Fig. 26. Conus (Stephanoconus) moissetteisp. nov. from theTortonian ofAdhraktia, Crete (Greece) shown in apertural view under natural (A1, A4, B1, B4, C1, C4) and UV light. A. Holotype MNHN.F.A83071: the largest specimen showing a spectacular green fluorescent pattern. B. Paratype MNHN.F.A83072: paratype with orange colour pattern on abapertural view. C. Paratype MNHN.F.A83073: paratype with intact early spire whorls. D. MNHN.F.A83075, Crete. Scale bar = 1 cm.

Fig. 27. Specimens of Conus (Stephanoconus) moissettei sp. nov. from the Tortonian of Crete (Greece), shown under natural (A1, A4, B1–B4) and UV light. A. Specimen MNHN.F.A83076, Crete: the largest specimen of the collection. B. Specimen MNHN.F.A83074, Crete. Scale bar = 1 cm.

Fig. 28. Colour patterns of Conus (Stephanoconus) moissettei sp. nov., holotype (MNHN.F.A83071) from the Tortonian of Adhraktia Crete (Greece). Scale bar = 1 cm for the main shell, the orthogonal image on the right is enlarged by 150%.

Fig. 40. Examples of subsutural flexures. A. Conus (Lautoconus) eschewegi Pereira da Costa, 1866 (MNHN.F.A82976). B. Conus (Lautoconus) ictini sp. nov. (AMPG(IV) 3719). C. Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 1 (MNHN.F.A82982). D. Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 2 (AMPG(IV) 3756). E. Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 3 (MNHN.F.A83012). F. Conus (Lautoconus) cf. baldichieri Borson, 1820 (MNHN.F.A83013). G. Conus (Lautoconus) lauriatragei sp. nov. (MNHN.F.A83014). H. Conus (Lautoconus) damianakisi sp. nov. (AMPG(IV) 3802). I. Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 4 (MNHN.F.A83015). J. Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 5 (AMPG(IV) 3861). K. Conus (Stephanoconus) cf. taurinensis Bellardi & Michelotti, 1841 (AMPG(IV) 3808). L. Conus (Stephanoconus) moissettei sp. nov. (MNHN.F.A83071). M. Conus davolii sp. nov. (MNHN.F.A83091). N. Conus fuscocingulatus Hörnes, 1851 (AMPG(IV) 3858). O. Conus (Plagioconus) elatus Michelotti, 1847 (AMPG(IV) 3862). P. Conus (Plagioconus) sp. (AMPG(IV) 3890). Q. Conus (Plagioconus) sp. (AMPG(IV) 3898). R. Conus (Plagioconus) aquensis d’Orbigny, 1852 (AMPG(IV) 3907). Not to scale.