Common Name

"Bondarev’s Cone"

Status

Regarded as a valid species.

Type Locality

Off northern coast of Somalia, western Indian Ocean

Distribution

N. Somalia

Maximum Reported Size

42.5 mm

Description

Moderately small to medium-sized, moderately solid. Last whorl conical to broadly conical; outline convex below shoulder, straight below. Shoulder angulate. Spire low, outline sigmoid to concave. Larval shell of about 2 whorls, maximum diameter 1.0-1.2 mm. First 2.5-4 postnuclear whorls weakly tuberculate, late whorls broadly carinate. Teleoconch sutural ramps flat, with 2 increasing to 3-4 spiral grooves; latest ramps may have additional spiral striae. Last whorl with distinct spiral ribs on basal fourth to third.

Ground colour white, sometimes suffused with vale orange or violet. Last whorl with a broad yellow, orGge, red or brown spiral band on each side of centre, occasionally with a narrow third band below shoulder. Ground-colour zone sometimes narrow and obsolete at shoulder. Base white to orange. Larval whorls white or yellow, orange or violet. Postnuclear sutural ramps shaded and radially spotted with same colours as last whorl. Aperture white to pale purple, slightly translucent.

Shell Morphometry

L	29-41 mm
RW	0.12-0.25 g/mm
RD	0.61-0.72
PMD	0.86-0.89
RSH	0.07-0.12

Habitat & Habits

Deep water (150 m).

Discussion

C. bondarevi resembles C. daucus from the W. Atlantic in colour pattern and shape. Sympatric C. namocanus attains larger size (L 40-100 mm), has a greenish yellow apex with 2.5-3 larval whorls and with tubercles only in the first 1-1.5 postnuclear whorls, its latest sutural ramps have an obsolete spiral sculpture and the outer margins are not carinate. The last whorl of C. C. namocanus is predominantly olive, and its pattern usually includes spiral lines and its aperture is bluish violet.

References

• Conchiglia 23 (264): p. 25 & figs.