Leptoconus vaughanensis

Conus (Leptoconus) vaughanensis (Mansfield, 1935)

Il Conus vaughanensis è una specie del Miocene della Florida: la figura del Conus vaughanensis riportata da Petuch nel 1994 (pl. 91 fig. f) sembra essere più simile ad un Conus cf. largillierti che ad un Conus vaughanensis: il nome Conus vaughanensis sembra quindi che sia stato utilizzato per indicare anche esemplari del Pliocene ⁽¹⁾. Spesso esemplari di questa specie sono stati identificati come Conus floridanus⁽¹⁾.

Shell of moderate size, rather stout and solid, with about 9 whorls in all. Spire turrited, weakly acuminate in the earlier whorls and constituting about one-third shell length. Whorls medially depressed and marked with weak concentric threads and curved growth lines. Anterior canal broken off. Body whorl sculptured only at anterior end with 5 or more undulating raised concentric lines ⁽²⁾.

The holotype (U.S.N.M.Cat.No.373120) measures: Length, 50 mm.; greatest diameter, 27,5 mm.

Conus imitator Brown and Pilsbry, a middle Miocene species from the Gatun formation, Panama Canal Zone, is related to C. vaughanensis, n. sp. but differs from it in having a more slender shell, more acuminate early spire and stronger sculpture on the body whorl ⁽²⁾.

Conus diluvianus Green, a species confined to the St. Marys formation of Maryland and Virginia, shows close relationship to the new species but differs from the latter in having a shallower depression in the anal fasciole and fewer whorls ⁽²⁾.

Conus delessertii Recluz, a living species ranging from Cape Hatteras to the Florida Keys is also closely related to the new species but differs from it in having a slimmer shell and a shallower anal fasciole ⁽²⁾.

Occurrence: Upper middle Miocene, Area zone. Station 12046, Vaughan Creek, upper locality, Walton County, Florida (type locality); Station 12044, Bell Place, upper locality, Walton County (one fragment.)