Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 2 Figs 7–9, 20, 40D; Table 4 Conus (Rhizoconus) ponderosus ponderosus – Symeonidis 1965: pl. 63 figs 4, 4a. — Symeonidis & Konstantinidis 1968: pl. 80 figs 2, 2a. (AMPG(IV) 2768) (non Conus (Lautoconus) ponderosus (Brocchi, 1814)). Material examined GREECE – Crete • 1 spec.; Filippi; Messara Basin, Tortonian; 35.035° N, 25.250° E; 1964; Nikolaos Symeonidis leg.; AMPG(IV) 2768 • 41 specs; Achladhia; 1964; Nikolaos Symeonidis leg.; AMPG(IV) 3721 to AMPG(IV) 3761 • 29 specs; 1990; Action spécifique du Muséum project (1989–1990) exped.; MNHN.F. A82983 to MNHN.F.A83011 • 1 spec.; Filippi; AMPG(IV) 3762 • 6 specs; Filippi; Efterpi Koskeridou leg.; AMPG(IV) 3763 to AMPG(IV) 3768 • 1 spec.; Filippi; AMPG(IV) 3769 • 17 specs; Filippi; 2017; Christos Psarras leg.; AMPG(IV) 3770 to AMPG(IV) 3786 • 1 spec.; Panassos; 35.130° N, 24.986° E; 2017; Christos Psarras leg.; AMPG(IV) 3787 • 1 spec.; Filippi; AMPG(IV) 3788 • 2 specs; Tefeli; AMPG(IV) 3789 to AMPG(IV) 3790 • 11 specs; Tefeli; Efterpi Koskeridou leg.; AMPG(IV) 3791 to AMPG(IV) 3801. Shell description Medium-sized shells (51.92 mm), with medium to low conical, straight to slightly coeloconoid spire. Early spire whorls faintly striate, highly pointed. Later spire whorls smooth, straight to slightly coeloconoid. Faint spiral grooves on spire whorls, diminishing on late spire whorls. Suture channelled. Subsutural flexure shallow, moderately curved, moderately asymmetrical (Fig. 40D). Shoulder rounded, with an angulation at suture height. Maximum diameter right below shoulder. Last whorl conical, with variable elongation of the last whorl, not constricted. Spiral grooves present on anterior third of last whorl. Aperture moderate, widening anteriorly. Fasciole indistinct, slightly twisted. Description of colour pattern The colour pattern consists of two levels of colouration. The first consists of yellow axial stripes on a non-fluorescent base. Those stripes are either continuous from the shoulder, where a non-fluorescent disruption exists (Fig. 8), until the anterior of the shell, or are not continuous, showing patterns of axial disruptions, convergences with other stripes, and divisions of individual stripes into more (Fig. 8A). The second level consists of two axial bands; the first one is placed just above the middle of the shell and the second one is placed on the anterior part of the shell, along with the last spiral groove. The bands are not always continuous or visible (Fig. 8B). In some shells, they resemble closely arranged, thin spiral dashes (Fig. 8E, G–H), some of them axially arranged (Fig. 8H). Remarks This species is the most common Conus (Lautoconus) in the Tortonian of Crete. The study of more than 100 specimens (Table 4) consistently shows the recurrence of the morphology and colour pattern of this species (Fig. 8). From the Serravallian of Turkey, Erünal-Erentöz (1958: 121, pl. 20 figs 4–5) described Conus (Chelyconus) pyrula var. mucronata, but the binome Conus mucronatus is occupied by a recent species, described by Reeve (1843). The Turkish material displays a morphology similar to the Cretan specimens, with pointed early spire whorls, low conical late whorls and an angulated shoulder. As no colour pattern has been studied for that material, we cannot consider with certainty that the Cretan and the Turkish specimens belong to same species. The type specimen of the Pliocene Conus bitorosus var. elatoastensis Sacco, 1893 (Sacco 1893b), illustrated by Hall (1966: pl. 23 fig. 24), is very similar to Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 2, but we have not observed its colour pattern. The shell morphology of the Pliocene Conus (Lautoconus) ponderosus Brocchi, 1814 resembles that of Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 2, but differs by lacking the early, pointed spire whorls, by the occurrence of spiral grooves on last whorl and by the frequent angulation on shoulder. Its colour pattern seems not preserved (Harzhauser & Landau 2016; Annalaura Pistarino pers. comm.). One syntype of Conus (Lautoconus) conoponderosus Sacco, 1893b (MRSN BS.038.05.082, Tortonian of Colli Tortonesi) was figured in Davoli (1972: pl. 4 fig. 19). It bears a similar morphology, but displays a lower spire and a stout last whorl differing from most of the specimens studied here. Its colour pattern was not observed. Despite the discussed differences in shell morphology, Conus ponderosus and Conus conoponderosus might be different morphotypes of a same species. Since we observed similar morphotypes from Crete, we cannot disregard the possibility of them being conspecific. Thus, we refrain from attributing the Cretan material to Conus (Lautoconus) ponderosus, Conus (Lautoconus) conoponderosus or Conus elatoastensis. Further examination needs to be done on the Italian types by using UV light in order to clarify whether the colour pattern allows distinguishing these species. Conus (Lautoconus) pyrula Brocchi, 1814 differs from Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 2 by a more robust morphology and a weaker angulation on shoulder (Fig. 7). The colour pattern of Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 2 bears additional spiral bands (Figs 8–9), whereas that of Conus (Lautoconus) pyrula bears irregular, ochre-coloured longitudinal lines (see the description by Sacco 1893b). We examined Italian Pliocene specimens stored at the MNHN Paris (Vegga coll., MNHN.F.B32569), that are identified as Conus pyrula Brocchi, 1814 and we confirm that they display the colour pattern described by Sacco (1893b). Conus (Lautoconus) steinabrunnensis Sacco, 1893 (Sacco 1893b) from the Langhian of Austria bears large irregular blotches and flammulae on spire whorls (Harzhauser & Landau 2016), differing from the colour pattern of Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 2. Conus (Lautoconus) steindachneri Hoernes, 1879 from the Langhian of Austria has a colour pattern of numerous thin spirals (Harzhauser & Landau 2016), also differing from that of Conus (Lautoconus) sp. 2. Stratigraphic range Tortonian of Greece (Achladhia, Sitia Basin and Messara Basin, Crete) (this work).

Published as part of Psarras, Christos, Merle, Didier & Koskeridou, Efterpi, 2022, Late Miocene Conidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Crete (Greece). Part 2, pp. 1-70 in European Journal of Taxonomy 816 on pages 15-19, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.816.1747, http://zenodo.org/record/6484261