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A.
1. General informations
Conus
textile f. verriculum is restricted theorically to the Indian
Ocean and is usually found in Madagascar and Mauritius (see the
pictures below). Recently, Mr Balleton and myself were able to collect
a local variation of Conus textile from the Tuamotu Atolls.
We went to Hao and Fakarava Atolls, and both Atolls had this variation
(see the pictures below). We named it f. "pseudoverriculum"
for our personnal data and for fun (no more forms can be described
anymore).
When
you study those specimens, they clearly look like Conus textile
f. verriculum.
The pattern is very close and the size too. Conus textile
f. verriculum were of average size smaller than the usual
Conus textile. Even if big specimens of the Tuamotu variation
can be seen (I only found one huge specimen, 94.9 mmin, the calm
waters of the lagoon though), the specimens we found were all smaller
than usual. Though, some specimens have a little different pattern
than Conus textile f. verriculum, they have huge white
triangles instead of many grouped ones like usual. The specimens
from Tahiti, Moorea and all other Society Islands, are of course
very different.
Such a variation is also reported from other Pacific Ocean places
like New Caledonia (see picture below) and Wallis Island.
This
could extend the range of Conus textile f. verriculum
from both the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. By the way, we
can also consider that those from the Pacific Ocean, and especially
from Tuamotu, could be distinct forms/variations. As we cannot describe
any more forms, we will then be obliged to name these strange specimens
Conus textile.
Any
comment will be welcome.
A.
2. More information about the Tuamotu specimens
We
found many specimens, all having unusual patterns. They were all
found in shallow lagoon or in "Hoa" (channel which separate
two small islands on the reef, also called "motu").
They were mostly hidden during the daytime, partially or totally
buried in the sand. Conus textile is uncommonly to commonly
found there. I also found one by following a trail in the sand during
the daytime, the shell was totally burrowed and was hunting because
its probocis was maximally extended. That's the first time I ever
find a Conus textile that way.
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