THE GENUS CONUS (MOLLUSCA: NEOGASTROPODA) IN THE PLIO-PLEISTOCENE OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

摘要

Conus (or cone) shells are common in many Pliocene and Pleistocene fossil deposits from the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States, but have never been the subjects of a comprehensive taxonomic review or revision. In total, 84 names (including those of some Recent species and fossil taxa from other strata or areas) have been applied to Plio-Pleistocene cone shells from this region, and since Green described Conus marylandicus in 1830, an additional 59 species have been described from these strata. Forty of these taxa were described in the last 17 years and were published outside of the peer-reviewed literature, making their status as distinct species suspect, particularly because most are poorly illustrated, perfunctorily described, and based on few specimens. This makes them nearly impossible to evaluate without direct inspection of type material and/or access to large suites of specimens. Evaluating whether these suspect taxon names represent distinctive morphospecies is critical to attaining an understanding of the evolutionary history and diversity of Neogene and Recent Conus in the western Atlantic.