Conus leopardus Röding, 1798

Franklin, J. Benjamin, Subramanian, K. A., Fernando, S. Antony & Krishnan, K. S., 2009, 2250, Zootaxa 2250, pp. 1-63 : 34-35

31. Conus leopardus Röding, 1798 (Figure 32)

Conus leopardus Röding, 1798: 41 , no. 520 (representation of lectotype, Martini 1773: pl. 60, fig. 666 (78 x 43 mm) (Kohn 1975); locality unknown).

Conus millepunctatus Lamarck, 1822: 461–462 , no. 45 (representation of lectotype, Cuvier 1798: pl. 323, fig. 5 (137 x 75 mm) ( Walls 1979); "Océan asiatique").

Conus millepunctatus var. aldrovandi Dautzenberg, 1937: 171–172 representation of lectotype, Cuvier 1798: pl. 324, fig. 4 (119 x 66 mm) ( Coomans et al. 1980); locality unknown).

Material examined: MBMCS 131 , 48 specimens, SL 60–147 mm; SW 32–90 mm .

Description. Shell large and heavy. Body whorl usually conical, outline almost straight. Shoulder broad, angulate, and occasionally sub-angulate. Spire very low or flat, sometimes moderate height, outline slightly concave to slightly convex. Body whorl with weak spiral ribs above base, obsolete in larger specimens.

Ground colour white to cream, body whorl with spiral rows of rounded or squarish, reddish brown spots or sometimes short axial streaks from base to shoulder, these sometimes in alternating large and small series; shoulder and spire with many narrow revolving dark brown broader lines on white. Aperture relatively narrow, slightly wider anteriorly. Periostracum greenish-brown, smooth and very thick. Siphon ends with a black band on a white background.

Distribution. The only report of C. leopardus from India is that of Röckel et al. (1995). The specimens from Gulf of Mannar ( Table 6) were collected by trawling in 9 to 40 m and from lobster cages laid at depths of 3 to 5 m.

Remarks. The restricted distribution of C. leopardus to the Gulf of Mannar agrees with earlier reports of its preference for vast subtidal stretches of sand and reef flats ( Cernohorsky, 1964; Kohn & Nybakken 1975). We collected a large number of specimens from lobster cages at Vedhalai and Keelakarai. Fishermen engaged in diving and lobster fishing reported the occurrence of C. leopardus within the rocky crevices.