title: One, four or 100 genera? A new classification of the cone snails.
abstract: We present a new classification for the genusConus sensu lato(family Conidae), based on molecular phylogenetic analyses of 329 species. This classification departs from both the traditional classification in only one genus and from a recently proposed shell- and radula-based classification scheme that separates members of this group into five families and 115 genera. Roughly 140 genus-group names are available for Recent cone snails. We propose to place all cone snails within a single family (Conidae) containing four genera-Conus,Conasprella,ProfundiconusandCaliforniconus(withConusalone encompassing about 85% of known species)-based on the clear separation of cone snails into four distinct and well-supported groups/lineages in molecular phylogenetic analyses. WithinConusandConasprella, we recognize 57 and 11 subgenera, respectively, that represent well-supported subgroupings within these genera, which we interpret as evidence of intrageneric distinctiveness. We allocate the 803 Recent species of Conidae listed as valid in the World Register of Marine Species into these four genera and 71 subgenera, with an estimate of the confidence for placement of species in these taxonomic categories based on whether molecular or radula and/or shell data were used in these determinations. Our proposed classification effectively departs from previous schemes by (1) limiting the number of accepted genera, (2) retaining the majority of species within the genusConusand (3) assigning members of these genera to species groups/subgenera to enable the effective communication of these groups, all of which we hope will encourage acceptance of this scheme.
authors: Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Departement Systematique et Evolution , ISyEB Institut (UMR 7205 CNRS/UPMC/MNHN/EPHE) , 43, Rue Cuvier, Paris 75231 , France.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Puillandre
authors: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology , University of Michigan , 1109 Geddes Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 , USA.
authors: T F
authors: TF
authors: Duda
authors: Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History , Smithsonian Institution , Washington, DC 20013 , USA.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Meyer
authors: Department of Biology , University of Utah , 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 , USA.
authors: B M
authors: BM
authors: Olivera
authors: Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Departement Systematique et Evolution , ISyEB Institut (UMR 7205 CNRS/UPMC/MNHN/EPHE) , 55, Rue Buffon, Paris 75231 , France.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Bouchet