A single live specimen of Conus aratispira (not kawamurai, which is a junior synonym) is known. It was taken in Sumiyo Bay in the Amami Islands, where I also dredged some fresh fragments in 1995 or so. It was reported on and figured by Yoshiba and Nobuhara in the publication 'Chiribotan' (1997, vol. 28, no. 1: 1-8, 2 plates. In Japanese with English abstract). I reviewed variation in C. aratispira (as C. kawamurai, as I hadn't seen the type of aratispira at the time) in La Conchiglia back in 1993 or so.
C. aratispira seems to be morphologically distinct from C. milneedwardsi as the latter is understood in literature. It is smaller, and has a distinctive concave spire in mature adults. It may well be an isolated population descended from milneedwardsi, and in the continuing absence of a radular tooth, soft parts or DNA you can treat it as a separate species, a subspecies or just a form, as you wish.
Regards,
PC.
Paul Callomon
Collections Manager
Malacology, Invertebrate Paleontology and General Invertebrates
Department of Malacology
Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA
Tel 215-405-5096
Fax 215-299-1170
Secretary, American Malacological Society
On the web at http://erato.acnatsci.org/ams/
>>> [log in to unmask] 06/03/05 11:24AM >>>
Dear friends
according to Filmer 2001 (and I believe it also), Conus kawamurai as a
distinct species on its own, separate from milneedwardsi. With respect to
the fossil species, it is true that most kawamurai are dead taken from
harbour dredgings, etc. I am not sure about its relationship to fossil
species. In any case, the holotype measures 80.5 x 33.4 mm, and comes from
Amami Oshima Islands, Southern Japan.
An additional subspecies is Conus milneedwardsi lemuriensis Wils &
Delsaerdt, 1989, from Reunion, Mauritius, Salha de Malha, etc. The
holotype comes from Reunion Island and measures 110.4 x 35. 3 mm. This
seems to be quite similar to clytospira.
Best wishes
Manuel Jimenez Tenorio
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