''Conasprella'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

sea snail Sea snails are slow-moving marine (ocean), marine gastropod Mollusca, molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the Taxonomic classification, taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguishe ...

s, marine

gastropod Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...

mollusk Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The ...

s in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.Bouchet, P. (2015). Conasprella. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=428971 on 2015-02-28 This genus was formerly (February 2015) treated by some experts as a member of the family Conilithidae and as an "alternative representation" of this group of species.

Distinguishing characteristics

The Tucker & Tenorio 2009 taxonomy distinguishes ''Conasprella'' from ''Conus'' in the following ways:Tucker J.K. & Tenorio M.J. (2009), Systematic Classification of Recent and Fossil Conoidean Gastropods, ConchBooks, Hankenheim, Germany, 295 pp. * Genus ''Conus'' '' sensu stricto'' Linnaeus, 1758 :: Shell characters (living and fossil species) :::The basic shell shape is conical to elongated conical, has a deep anal notch on the shoulder, a smooth periostracum and a small operculum. The shoulder of the shell is usually nodulose and the protoconch is usually multispiral. Markings often include the presence of tents except for black or white color variants, with the absence of spiral lines of minute tents and textile bars. ::Radular tooth (not known for fossil species) :::The radula has an elongated anterior section with serrations and a large exposed terminating cusp, a non-obvious waist, blade is either small or absent and has a short barb, and lacks a basal spur. ::Geographical distribution :::These species are found in the

Indo-Pacific The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...

region. ::Feeding habits :::These species eat other

s including cones. * Genus ''Conasprella'' Thiele, 1929 ::Shell characters (living and fossil species) :::The protoconch is multispiral with 2.5 whorls, the shell is conical in shape, the spire is elevated, the early whorls have nodules at the periphery. The body whorl has evenly spaced cords or sulci that reach the midbody to the shoulder, and the whorls may have cords on top. The anterior notch is absent and the anal notch is deep. The periostracum is smooth, and the operculum is small. ::Radular tooth (not known for fossil species) :::The blade is short and covers one-third of the anterior section of the radular tooth. The posterior blade is absent, a basal spur is present, and the barb is short. A shaft fold and interior posterior fold is present, however the shaft fold is difficult to detect. ::Geographical distribution :::These species are found throughout the Indo-Pacific region. ::Feeding habits :::These species are presumed to be vermivorous (meaning that they prey on marine worms) based upon their radular morphology.

Species list

This list of species is based on the information in the

World Register of Marine Species The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive catalogue and list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scien ...

(

WoRMS The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive catalogue and list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scien ...

) list. Species within the genus ''Conasprella'' include: According to the 2014 taxonomy, the following species include the following subgenera: ''Boucheticonus'', ''Coltroconus'', ''Conasprella'', ''Dalliconus'', ''Endemoconus'', ''Fusiconus'', ''Kohniconus'', ''Lilliconus'', ''Parviconus'', ''Pseudoconorbis'', and ''Ximenoconus'', as well as '' Conasprella delessertii'' (Récluz, 1843), a species "incertae sedes". Puillandre N., Duda T.F., Meyer C., Olivera B.M. & Bouchet P. (2015). ''One, four or 100 genera? A new classification of the cone snails''. Journal of Molluscan Studies. 81: 1-23
/ref> These subgenera are accepted and are considered alternative representations. * '' Conasprella aculeiformis'' (Reeve, 1844) * '' Conasprella agassizi'' (Dall, 1886) * '' Conasprella ageri'' Hendricks, 2015 * '' Conasprella alexandremonteiroi'' (Cossignani, 2014) * '' Conasprella alisi'' (Moolenbeek, Röckel & Richard, 1995) * '' Conasprella allamandi'' (Petuch, 2013) * ''

Conasprella anacarolinae ''Conasprella'' is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the Conus, cone snails and their allies.Bouchet, P. (2015). Conasprella. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.or ...

'' Cossignani, 2019 * '' Conasprella anaglyptica'' (Crosse, 1865) * '' Conasprella aphrodite'' (Petuch, 1979) * '' Conasprella aquitanica'' (Mayer, 1858) * '' Conasprella arawak'' (Petuch & R. F. Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella arcuata'' (Broderip & G. B. Sowerby I, 1829) * '' Conasprella armiger'' (Crosse, 1858) * '' Conasprella articulata'' (G. B. Sowerby II, 1873) * '' Conasprella aturensis'' (Peyrot, 1931) * '' Conasprella baccata'' (G. B. Sowerby III, 1877) * '' Conasprella baileyi'' (Röckel & da Motta, 1979) * '' Conasprella bajanensis'' (Nowell-Usticke, 1968) * '' Conasprella berschaueri'' (Petuch & R. F. Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella berwerthi'' (Hoernes & Auinger, 1879) * '' Conasprella bianchii'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) * '' Conasprella boholensis'' (Petuch, 1979) * '' Conasprella booti'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2017) * '' Conasprella boriqua'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2016) * '' Conasprella boucheti'' (Richard, 1983) * '' Conasprella bozzettii'' (Lauer, 1991) * '' Conasprella burckhardti'' (Böse, 1906) * '' Conasprella carlagrezziae'' (Petuch, Coltro & Berschauer, 2020) * '' Conasprella carvalhoi'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2017) * '' Conasprella centurio'' (Born, 1778) * '' Conasprella cercadensis'' (Maury, 1917) * '' Conasprella chaac'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2017) * '' Conasprella chinchorroensis'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2017) * '' Conasprella coletteae'' (Petuch, 2013) * '' Conasprella comatosa'' (Pilsbry, 1904) * '' Conasprella coriolisi'' (Moolenbeek & Richard, 1995) * '' Conasprella coromandelica'' (E. A. Smith, 1894) * '' Conasprella crabosi'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) * '' Conasprella culebrana'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2016) * '' Conasprella damasoi'' (Cossignani, 2007) * '' Conasprella damasomonteiroi'' (Petuch & Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella delessertii'' (Récluz, 1843) * '' Conasprella dictator'' (Melvill, 1898) * '' Conasprella dieteri'' (Moolenbeek, Zandbergen & Bouchet, 2008) * '' Conasprella edpetuchi'' (Monnier, Limpalaër, Roux & Berschauer, 2015) * '' Conasprella elegans'' (G. B. Sowerby III, 1895) * '' Conasprella elokismenos'' (Kilburn, 1975) * '' Conasprella emarginata'' (Reeve, 1844) * '' Conasprella ericmonnieri'' (Petuch & R. F. Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella eucoronata'' (G. B. Sowerby III, 1903) * '' Conasprella eugrammata'' (Bartsch & Rehder, 1943) * '' Conasprella fenzani'' (Petuch & Sargent, 2011) * '' Conasprella ferreirai'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2017) * '' Conasprella fijiensis'' (Moolenbeek, Röckel & Bouchet, 2008) * '' Conasprella fluviamaris'' (Petuch & Sargent, 2011) * '' Conasprella gattegnoi'' (Poppe & Tagaro, 2017) * '' Conasprella geeraertsi'' (Poppe & Tagaro, 2017) * '' Conasprella gordyi'' (Röckel & Bondarev, 2000) * '' Conasprella gregorioi'' (Crabos & G. S. P. Oliveira, 2021) * '' Conasprella grohi'' (Tenorio & Poppe, 2004) * '' Conasprella gubernatrix'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) * '' Conasprella guidopoppei'' (G. Raybaudi Massilia, 2005) * '' Conasprella henckesi'' (Coltro, 2004) * '' Conasprella henriquei'' (Petuch & R. F. Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella herndli'' (Petuch & R. F. Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella hivana'' (Moolenbeek, Zandbergen & Bouchet, 2008) * '' Conasprella hopwoodi'' (Tomlin, 1937) * '' Conasprella howelli'' (Iredale, 1929) * '' Conasprella iansa'' (Petuch, 1979) * '' Conasprella icapui'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) * '' Conasprella ichinoseana'' (Kuroda, 1956) * '' Conasprella imitator'' (A. P. Brown & Pilsbry, 1911) * '' Conasprella insculpta'' (Kiener, 1847) * '' Conasprella ione'' (Fulton, 1938) * '' Conasprella itapua'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) * '' Conasprella ixchel'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2017) * '' Conasprella janapatriceae'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2016) * '' Conasprella janowskyae'' (J. K. Tucker & Tenorio, 2011) * '' Conasprella jaspidea'' (Gmelin, 1791) * '' Conasprella joanae'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) * '' Conasprella joliveti'' (Moolenbeek, Röckel & Bouchet, 2008) * '' Conasprella josei'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2016) * '' Conasprella kantangana'' (da Motta, 1982) * '' Conasprella kellyae'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2017) * '' Conasprella keppensi'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) * '' Conasprella kimioi'' (Habe, 1965) * '' Conasprella kitteredgei'' (Maury, 1917) * '' Conasprella kohni'' (McLean & Nybakken, 1979) * '' Conasprella laudelinoi'' (Crabos & G. S. P. Oliveira, 2021) * '' Conasprella lemuriana'' Monnier, Tenorio, Bouchet & Puillandre, 2018 * '' Conasprella lenhilli'' (Cargile, 1998) * '' Conasprella lentiginosa'' (Reeve, 1844) * '' Conasprella levenensis'' (Monnier & Tenorio, 2017) * '' Conasprella lindapowersae'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2017) * '' Conasprella lizarum'' (Raybaudi Massilia & da Motta, 1992) * '' Conasprella longurionis'' (Kiener, 1847) * '' Conasprella lorenzi'' Monnier & Limpalaër, 2012 * '' Conasprella lucida'' (W. Wood, 1828) * '' Conasprella lusca'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2017) * '' Conasprella mahogani'' (Reeve, 1843) * '' Conasprella marcusi'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2016) * '' Conasprella marinae'' (Petuch & Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella masinoi'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2016) * '' Conasprella mazei'' (Deshayes, 1874) * '' Conasprella mcgintyi'' (Pilsbry, 1955) * '' Conasprella memiae'' (Habe & Kosuge, 1970) * '' Conasprella mindana'' (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792) * '' Conasprella minutissima'' Harzhauser & Landau, 2016 * '' Conasprella nereis'' (Petuch, 1979) * '' Conasprella ogum'' (Petuch & R. F. Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella olangoensis'' (Poppe & Tagaro, 2017) * '' Conasprella orbignyi'' (Audouin, 1831) * '' Conasprella otohimeae'' (Kuroda & Itô, 1961) * '' Conasprella pacei'' (Petuch, 1987) * '' Conasprella pagoda'' (Kiener, 1847) * '' Conasprella paumotu'' (Rabiller & Richard, 2014) * '' Conasprella pepeiu'' (Moolenbeek, Zandbergen & Bouchet, 2008) * '' Conasprella perplexa'' (G. B. Sowerby II, 1857) * '' Conasprella pfluegeri'' (Petuch, 2003) * '' Conasprella philippequiquandoni'' (Cossignani, 2019) * '' Conasprella pomponeti'' (Petuch & Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella poremskii'' (Petuch & R. F. Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella prugnaudorum'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) * '' Conasprella pseudokimioi'' (da Motta & Martin, 1982) * '' Conasprella pseudorbignyi'' (Röckel & Lan, 1981) * '' Conasprella puncticulata'' (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792) * '' Conasprella pusio'' (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792) * '' Conasprella rachelae'' (Petuch, 1988) * '' Conasprella rainesae'' (McGinty, 1953) * '' Conasprella ramalhoi'' (Coomans, Moolenbeek & Wils, 1986) * '' Conasprella ramosorum'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2019) * '' Conasprella raoulensis'' (Powell, 1958) * '' Conasprella roatanensis'' (Petuch & Sargent, 2011) * '' Conasprella roberti'' (Richard, 2009) * '' Conasprella rutila'' (Menke, 1843) * '' Conasprella saecularis'' (Melvill, 1898) * '' Conasprella sargenti'' (Petuch, 2013) * '' Conasprella sauros'' (Garcia, 2006) * '' Conasprella scaripha'' (Dall, 1910) * '' Conasprella schirrmeisteri'' (Coltro, 2004) * '' Conasprella serafimi'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2019) * '' Conasprella sieboldii'' (Reeve, 1848) * '' Conasprella simonei'' (Petuch & R. F. Myers, 2014) * '' Conasprella somalica'' (Bozzetti, 2013) * '' Conasprella spirofilis'' (Habe & Kosuge, 1970) * '' Conasprella stearnsii'' (Conrad, 1869) * '' Conasprella stenostoma'' (G. B. Sowerby I, 1850) * '' Conasprella stocki'' (Coomans & Moolenbeek, 1990) * '' Conasprella tammymyersae'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2019) * '' Conasprella subturrita'' (d'Orbigny, 1852) * '' Conasprella tayrona'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2017) * '' Conasprella tiki'' (Moolenbeek, Zandbergen & Bouchet, 2008) * '' Conasprella tirardi'' (Röckel & Moolenbeek, 1996) * '' Conasprella toincabrali'' (Petuch & Berschauer, 2019) * '' Conasprella torensis'' (Sturany, 1903) * '' Conasprella tornata'' (G. B. Sowerby I, 1833) * '' Conasprella traceyi'' (J. K. Tucker & Stahlschmidt, 2010) * '' Conasprella traversiana'' (E. A. Smith, 1875) * '' Conasprella valianti'' (Petuch, Coltro & Berschauer, 2020) * '' Conasprella vanhyningi'' (Rehder, 1944) * '' Conasprella vantwoudti'' (Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2015) * '' Conasprella viminea'' (Reeve, 1849) * '' Conasprella wakayamaensis'' (Kuroda, 1956) * '' Conasprella wendrosi'' (Tenorio & Afonso, 2013) * '' Conasprella ximenes'' (Gray, 1839)
The following species were brought into synonymy: * ''Conasprella albobrunnea'' Bozzetti, 2017: synonym of '' Conasprella eucoronata'' (G. B. Sowerby III, 1903) * ''Conasprella biraghii'' (G. Raybaudi Massilia, 1992): synonym of '' Lilliconus biraghii'' (G. Raybaudi Massilia, 1992) * ''Conasprella cancellata'' Hwass in Bruguière, 1792: synonym of Conus cancellatus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 * ''Conasprella guyanensis'' (Van Mol, 1973): synonym of '' Conasprella bajanensis'' (Nowell-Usticke, 1968) * ''Conasprella hivanus'' (Moolenbeek, Zandbergen & Bouchet, 2008): synonym of '' Conasprella hivana'' (Moolenbeek, Zandbergen & Bouchet, 2008) (wrong gender agreement of specific epithet) * ''Conasprella hypochlorus'' (Tomlin, 1937): synonym of '' Conasprella insculpta'' (Kiener, 1847) * ''Conasprella sagei'' (Korn & G. Raybaudi Massilia, 1993): synonym of '' Lilliconus sagei'' (Korn & G. Raybaudi Massilia, 1993)

List of synonyms of the genus ''Conasprella''

* ''Bathyconus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 * ''Boucheticonus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2013 * ''Coltroconus'' Petuch, 2013 * ''Conasprella (Boucheticonus)'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2013 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Coltroconus)'' Petuch, 2013 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Conasprella)'' Thiele, 1929 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Dalliconus)'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Endemoconus)'' Iredale, 1931 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Fusiconus)'' da Motta, 1991 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Kohniconus)'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Lilliconus)'' G. Raybaudi Massilia, 1994 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Parviconus)'' Cotton & Godfrey, 1932 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Pseudoconorbis)'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conasprella (Ximeniconus)'' Emerson & Old, 1962 · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conus (Conasprella)'' Thiele, 1929 * ''Dalliconus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 * ''Duodenticonus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2013 * ''Endemoconus'' Iredale, 1931 * ''Fumiconus'' da Motta, 1991 * ''Fusiconus'' da Motta, 1991 * ''Globiconus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 * ''Jaspidiconus'' Petuch, 2003 * ''Kermasprella'' Powell, 1958 * ''Kohniconus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 * ''Lilliconus'' G. Raybaudi Massilia, 1994 * ''Mamiconus'' Cotton & Godfrey, 1932 * ''Parviconus'' Cotton & Godfrey, 1932 * ''Perplexiconus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 * ''Pseudoconorbis'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 * ''Viminiconus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 * ''Ximeniconus'' Emerson & Old, 1962 * ''Yeddoconus'' Tucker & Tenorio, 2009

Significance of "alternative representation"

Prior to 2009, all

cone In geometry, a cone is a three-dimensional figure that tapers smoothly from a flat base (typically a circle) to a point not contained in the base, called the '' apex'' or '' vertex''. A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines ...

species were placed within the family Conidae and were placed in one genus, '' Conus''. In 2009 however, J.K. Tucker and M.J. Tenorio proposed a classification system for the over 600 recognized

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

that were in the family. Their classification proposed 3 distinct families and 82 genera for the living species of cone snails, including the family Conilithidae. This classification was based upon

shell Shell may refer to: Architecture and design * Shell (structure), a thin structure ** Concrete shell, a thin shell of concrete, usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses Science Biology * Seashell, a hard outer layer of a marine ani ...

morphology, radular differences,

anatomy Anatomy () is the branch of morphology concerned with the study of the internal structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old scien ...

physiology Physiology (; ) is the science, scientific study of function (biology), functions and mechanism (biology), mechanisms in a life, living system. As a branches of science, subdiscipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ syst ...

cladistics Cladistics ( ; from Ancient Greek 'branch') is an approach to Taxonomy (biology), biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups ("clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesiz ...

, with comparisons to molecular (DNA) studies. Published accounts of genera within the Conidae (or Conilithidae) that include the genus ''Conasprella'' include J.K. Tucker & M.J. Tenorio (2009), and Bouchet et al. (2011). Testing in order to try to understand the molecular phylogeny of the Conidae was initially begun by Christopher Meyer and Alan Kohn, and is continuing, particularly with the advent of nuclear DNA testing in addition to mDNA testing. However, in 2011, some experts preferred to use the traditional classification, where all species are placed in '' Conus'' within the single family Conidae: for example, according to the November 2011 version of the

, all species within the family Conidae are in the genus '' Conus''. The binomial names of species in the 82 cone snail genera listed in Tucker & Tenorio 2009 are recognized by the

as "alternative representations." Debate within the scientific community regarding this issue continues, and additional molecular phylogeny studies are being carried out in an attempt to clarify the issue.Petuch & Drolshage (2011) ''Compendium of Florida Fossil Shells, Volume 1'' MDM Publications, Wellington, FL., 432 pp. All this has been superseded in 2015 by the new classification of the Conidae

References

* Tucker J.K. & Tenorio M.J. (2013) ''Illustrated catalog of the living cone shells.'' 517 pp. Wellington, Florida: MdM Publishing.

External links

To World Register of Marine Species

Gastropods.com: ''Conidae'' setting forth the genera recognized therein.

Gastropods.com: ''Conilithidae'' setting forth the genera recognized therein.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5158230 Conidae