Conus imperialis Linnaeus, 1758

Franklin, J. Benjamin, Subramanian, K. A., Fernando, S. Antony & Krishnan, K. S., 2009, 2250, Zootaxa 2250, pp. 1-63 : 32-33

28. Conus imperialis Linnaeus, 1758 (Figure 29)

Conus imperialis Linnaeus, 1758: 712 , no. 251 (lectotype, LSL (65 x 37 mm) ( Walls 1979); locality unknown).

Conus fuscatus Born, 1778: 126–127 , no. 1780 (lectotype, NMW (53 x 31 mm) ( Kohn 1964; Walls 1979); " Mauritius ").

Cucullus coronaducalis Röding, 1798: 38 , no. 464 (representation of lectotype, Martini 1773: pl. 62, fig. 693 (41 x 26 mm); locality unknown).

Cucullus regius Röding, 1798: 38 , no. 465 (representation of lectotype, Chemnitz 1788: pl. 139, fig. 1289 (44 x 25 mm) (Kohn 1975); locality unknown).

Conus viridulus Lamarck, 1810: 31 , no. 9 (representation of type, Kiener 1845: pl. 7, fig. 1 (65 x 36 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); "Océan austral").

Conus queketti E.A. Smith, 1906: 22 , pl. 7, fig. 1 (holotype, BMNH (27 x 14 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); "Isezela, Natal").

Conus dautzenbergi Fenaux, 1942: 2 , fig. 2 (" Madagascar ").

Conus douvillei Fenaux, 1942: 2–3 , fig. 5 (" Madagascar ").

Conus imperialis compactus Wils, 1970: 8 , 12, pl. 2, fig. 7 (lectotype, ZMA (71 x 43 mm) ( Coomans et al. 1985a); "Nosy Bé, Madagascar ").

Conus imperialis nigrescens Barros e Cunha, 1933: 17, no. 9 (holotype, MZUC (66 x 39 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); locality unknown).

Conus imperialis flavescens Barros e Cunha, 1933: 18, no. 10 (two syntypes, MZUC (42 x 25; 39 x 20.5 mm) ( Röckel et al. 1995); locality unknown).

Material examined: MBMCS 128 , 1 specimen, SL 48 mm; SW 24 mm .

Description. Shell moderately large, solid and glossy. Body whorl conical; outline nearly straight and tapering to a narrow base. Body whorl with several low, widely spaced spiral ridges near basal third. Shoulder wide, angulate and strongly tuberculate. Spire very low; irregularly stepped, tip rounded, blunt; outline slightly concave. Post nuclear spire whorls distinctly tuberculate. Aperture narrow slightly wider anteriorly; outer lip sharp, thick.

Ground colour white. Body whorl encircled with two brown bands variable in width, split into axial streaks and blotches. Spiral rows of alternating blackish-brown and white dashes extending from base to shoulder, rows closer near anterior. Base, siphonal fasciole and basal part of columella bluish grey suffused with brown. Spire dull white with small brownish blotches and streaks. Aperture white.

Distribution. Conus imperialis has not been previously reported from India.

The specimen described herein was collected from Tuticorin and Keelakarai ( Table 6) by trawling in 40– 80 m and 20–50 m.