This is believed to be the first
known pulished
photo of a living Conus brianhayesi |
 |
|
Introduction
The Conus species of South Africa are a little studied group of Molluscs. Some work has been done on taxonomy, describing a few new species, but not much is known about their habitat, distribution and ecology.
Description
Size ranges from about 18 to 22 mm. Colour is brown and cream, varying from a unform brown/cream colour to light brown, with darker brown blotches or spiral bands. The shell is very similar in colouration to Conus bairstowi Sowerby III, 1889 – but the size of C. brianhayesi is much smaller and the shell more slender. C. bairstowi tends to be have a broader shoulder and to be a much heavier. As can be seen from the accompanying photo, the animal of C. brianhayesi is pure white.
Range
C. brianhayesi is found in a very localized area, in the northern Transkei region of South Africa.
They are a deep-water species , being dredged from about 70 to 100m deep.
They are only known from a very restricted area at present. The range of C. bairstowi is far to the south and ranges from Jeffreys Bay to East London.
|
|
|