Profundiconus kanakinus (Richard, 1983)

Figs 7–8

Conus (Endemoconus) kanakinus Richard, 1983: 55.

Conus kanakinus – R̂ckel et al. 1995b: 248, pl. 51 figs 17–20.

Profundiconus kanakinus – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 238. — Monnier et al. 2018a: 139.

Material examined

62 lots (252 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype NEW CALEDONIA • 15 mm; SW of Île des Pins, off New Caledonia; 22°49′ S, 167°12′ E; 390‒395 m depth; 10 Apr. 1978; MNHN-IM-2000-2548 (Fig. 7A).

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 19.5 mm; off S New Caledonia, stn DW222; 22º58′ S, 167º33′ E; 410‒440 m depth; 30 Sep. 1985; MUSORSTOM 4 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7B–C) • 14.6 mm; Norfolk Ridge, Île des Pins, off New Caledonia, stn DW2156; 22º54′ S, 167º15′ E; 468‒500 m depth; 5 Nov. 2003; NORFOLK 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7D, M) • 18 mm; S New Caledonia, S Île des Pins, off New Caledonia, stn DW05; 22º56′ S, 167º14′ E; 398‒410 m depth; 17 Sep. 1986; SMIB 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7E) • 18.3 mm; off S New Caledonia, stn DW66; 22º56′ S, 167º15′ E; 400‒430 m depth; 10 Mar. 1989; SMIB 4 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7F) • 17.4 mm; Atoll Pelotas, north Lagoon, off New Caledonia, stn DW475; 18º36′ S, 163º11′ E; 415‒460 m depth; 2 Mar. 1985; LAGON expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7G) • 18.5 mm; off S New Caledonia, stn DW1736; 22º51′ S, 167º12′ E; 383‒407 m depth; 28 Jun. 2001; NORFOLK 1 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7H) • 18.4 mm; off S New Caledonia, stn DW729; 22°52′ S, 167°12′ E; 400 m depth; 12 May 1993; BATHUS 2 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7I) • 15.8 mm; same collection data as for preceding; MNHN (Fig. 7J) • 12.5 mm; Atoll de Surprise, off New Caledonia, stn DW444; 18º15′ S, 162º59′ E; 300‒350 m depth; 28 Feb. 1985; LAGON expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7K) • size unknown; off S New Caledonia, stn DW1739; 22º51′ S, 167º12′ E; 404‒448 m depth; 28 Jun. 2001; NORFOLK 1 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 7L).

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

South New Caledonia (south of Île des Pins) and North New Caledonia (Grand Passage area, Surprise Island), at depths between 300 and 700 m. This species can be considered endemic to New Caledonia.

Remarks

Shell small to very small (maximum length 20 mm). Protoconch globose, white, translucent, with about 2 whorls (Fig. 7L). Pattern composed of 10–15 irregularly interrupted brown spiral lines on a white ground color. Radular tooth (Fig. 7M) with anterior portion much shorter than posterior section. External cusp present, laterally widened and serrated, with 5–6 denticles. The two central denticles are longer and wider than the lateral ones, which appear less developed. Characteristic fringe of closely spaced projections pointing towards the apex located immediately below waist. Shaft fold present. Large and prominent basal spur on top of slanted base of tooth. In the phylogeny (Fig. 2), P. kanakinus appears in a clade along with specimens assigned to P. vaubani. It is not clear whether this indicates one single polymorphic species or simply the failure of cox1 to separate these closely related species. Specimens provisionally identified as P. cf. kanakinus have been collected off Wallis and Futuna Islands (Waterwitch Bank) during the MUSORSTOM 7 campaign (Moolenbeek & R̂ckel 1996). However, these specimens differ from the New Caledonian ones in having a less elongate last whorl and a color pattern of dashes and lines instead of only spiral lines, resulting in a pattern remarkably similar to that of P. zardoyai. These specimens require further study and are hereby considered not conspecific with P. kanakinus.