Common Name

"Bel Air Cone"

Status

Regarded as a valid species.

Type Locality

Bel-air Point, South coast of Dakar, Senegal

Distribution

Endemic to the coast of Senegal; south of Dakar and Madeleine Island

Maximum Reported Size

37 mm

Description

Moderately small, solid shell, with a rounded shoulder and an almost straight profile. The body whorl is covered with longitudinal cords. Ground color of the shell is light rusty brown, cream on the anterior end. There is a violaceus brown band on the suture, with some white dots; spire otherwise white. On the body whorl there are also white dots, especially along a spiral band below mid-body. The body whorl may be also solid brownish with a lighter shade towards the anterior end, or yellowish-green, with two lighter bands; sometimes the body whorl is dark brown, with white dots spirally elongated. Aperture bright white.

Radula: narrow, of the vermivorous type. The apical portion is approximately equal to one half of the total length of the tooth. The waist is poorly defined. Serration with a a few denticles in two rows.

Habitat & Habits

At rocks in 50 m.

Discussion

The color pattern of C. belairensis resembles those of C. mercator but it the former is more turbinated, with an almost straight profile; the spire of the latter often has a concave profile, whereas that of C. belairensis is normally higher and with C. mercator a slightly convex profile. C. unifasciatus has a more slender shell, with a higher spire and a bluish aperture.

References

• Publcoes Occ. Soc. Port. Malac. (14): p. 33, & figs.