C. Virgo Linnaeus,
1758. The only common feature C. virgo has
with the new species is it’s pronounced
purple base stain. Otherwise it has no brown
or black markings, it is more elongated and
has a course surface. C. virgo lives in sand
and rubble from less than a meter to about
15 meters.
Summary.
All four of the above species are common
throughout the Indo-Pacific and very well
known and established species. In C. moncuri,
C. litteratus, C. leopardus
and C. virgo the early whorls and
protoconch are nearly always heavily eroded
only in C. eburneus is this not so.
In summary the five most distinguishing features
of the new species are: the large size, the
slightly more slender shape, the very pronounced
purple-brown basal stain, the sutural ridge
on the spire whorls, the dome like apex and
it’s probable, rocky and turbulent habitat.
There are precedents to distinguishing species
by the presence of a strong basal stain alone
in at least two cases. Firstly C. virgo
Linnaaeus, 1758 and C. coelinae Crosse,
1858 and secondly C. ferrugineus
Hwass, 1792 and C. planorbis Born,
1778. In these examples specimens can, sometimes
only be separated by the basal stain.
Table 1 contains data on
dimensions and weight of the three main species
C. moncuri, C. litteratus
and C. leopardus. The specimens of
the latter two species were chosen as they
represent these species well. From the data
included, it is clear that the new species
is the largest, lightest in weight and most
slender of the three while C. leopardus
is the heaviest.
Table 2 contains comparative
data on C. moncuri, C. litteratus
and C. leopardus.
Graph
1 displays the comparative size
of C. moncuri, C. leopardus
and C. litteratus.
Graph
2 displays the comparative size
versus weight of the same three species.
Plate
1 displays the holotype of C.
moncuri.
Plate
2
displays the paratypes of C. moncuri.
Plate
3 displays a comparison if C.
moncuri with C. litteratus and C.
leopardus.
Etymology
The species is named after Alistair Moncur,
who first brought this new species to the
attention of the author.
Acknowledgements.
Thanks are due to Alistair Moncur for providing
the material and for much good advice and
assistance. Thanks are also due to Robert
Moolenbeek (ZMUA) for reviewing the manuscript
and giving his advice. Finally special thanks
are due to to William Moncur of Camberley,
United Kingdom for the photography.
