David,

You ask some interesting questions.  Here is some information that may help.

Conus anabathrum Crosse, 1865 was generally believed to be a synonym of C.
japonicus until the mid-1980s.  Then, re-examination of the type specimen
indicated Conus anabathrum is an earlier name for C. floridanus.  According
to Vink, Cernohorsky petitioned the International Commission of Zoological
Nomenclature (ICZN) to suppress the name C. anabathrum in favor of the name
C. floridanus.  According to R. M. Filmer (2001), the ICZN rejected this
petition in 1989 and determined (Opinion no. 1539) that C. anabathrum is the
correct name for C. floridanus.  Even so, I don't know anyone who has
changed their labels from C. floridanus to C. anabathrum, yet.  See Hawaiian
Shell News, October 1985, page 3 for more info on the taxonomy issue.

The species known as C. floridanus (C. anabathrum, officially) has several
subspecies or named forms.  The best known are C. floridanus floridensis and
C. floridanus burryae.   In general, the floridensis form has contrasting
reddish brown dashes around the body whorl, but there seem to be intergrades
to the typical C. floridanus floridanus.  Vink treats the floridensis form
as a synonym of floridanus.  Both C. floridanus floridanus and C. floridanus
floridensis seem to be found commonly on the west coast of Florida, although
I have heard of isolated records from other locations around the Gulf of
Mexico.

The burryae form is a shell that tends to a more uniform reddish brown all
over.  It is usually considered endemic to the lower Florida Keys, although
specimens of this form have been reported from off Mexico, too.  Vink also
notes that the burryae form has straighter sides.  He treats it as a
subspecies of C. floridanus.  Seems most specimens from the Keys are labeled
as this form, but I have seen very few specimens that actually match the
type in form and pattern.  Study of a large enough series of shells from the
Keys may show this form intergrades with the other forms of this species.

Other forms you may encounter on labels are C. floridanus tranthami (a small
pale form from the upper Florida Keys/ Pickles Reef which I would like to
learn more about.) and C. floridanus yucatanensis (can detect no difference
from form floridensis in my specimens of this form.  Usually only applied to
shells obtained from shrimpers working off Yucatan in the 60's.  May only be
a manuscript name.)

Warm regards,

Bill Fenzan
Norfolk, VA.


----- Original Message -----
From: David Kirsh <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2001 4:48 PM
Subject: catch me up, please!


> Folks,
>
> Someone familiar with Florida shells please tell me what's the difference
> between Conus anabathrum and C. floridanus floridensis. Of course, there
are
> other very similar cones, such as burryae. Can someone explain what the
> currently accepted taxonomy is and why? Are there clear ranges for these
> species or forms?
>
> I thought for sure there'd be a thread in the archives but I don't see
> anything relevant.
>
> Thanks,
>
> David Kirsh
> Durham, NC
>