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262 American Seash ells
2 to 4 inches in length. Spire elevated, slightly concave, with the top of
each whorl also concave and with fine, arched lines of growth. There are lo
to 12 small spiral ridges at the lower end of the shell. Sides of whorls flat.
Color as shown in the photograph, with the two whitish spiral bands being
characteristic. Large and perfect specimens are collector's items, although
individuals less than 2 inches in length are rather commonly dredged in 50
feet of water off both sides of Florida. Beach specimens have been collected
on rare occasions. Named after the sponge diver, Sozon Vatikiotis.
Conus regius Gmelin Crown Cone
Plate 14m
Southern Florida and the West Indies.
2 to 3 inches in length. Spire low; shoulders of whorls with low, irregular
knobs or tubercles. Color very variable even in the same locality. A
rare yellowish color form (citrmus Gmelin, not Clench 1942) occurs in the
Lower Florida Keys, Cuba and the Antilles. The interior of the aperture of
this species is white. Uncommon in Florida.
Conus mus Hwass Mouse Cone
Southeast Florida and the West Indies.
Plate 14-0
I to I /4 inches in length. Spire elevated somewhat. Shoulders of whorls
with low, irregular, white knobs, between which are brown splotches. Color
a dull bluish gray with olive-green or brown mottlings. Interior of aperture
with 2 wide spiral bands of subdued brown. Periostracum thick, velvety and
yellowish to greenish brown. The name Conus citrinus Gmelin (erroneously
applied to this species in Johnsonia and other books) is actually the yellow
form of regius. The Mouse Cone is very common in intertidal, reef areas.
Conus stearnsi Conrad Stearns' Cone
North Carolina to both sides of Florida to Yucatan.
Plate 2 2y
/4 to % inch in length. A small, slender, graceful cone with a high spire.
Top of whorls concave. Sides almost flat. Color usually dull grayish with
rows of tiny, white squares and with dull, yellowish brown streaks or mot-
tlings. Highly colored specimens may have rich reddish brown mottlings.
Moderately common from shallow water to 30 feet in sand. Do not confuse
with jaspideus.
Conus jaspideus Gmelin Jasper Cone
South half of Florida and the West Indies.
Plates 1411; 2 2X