Africonus bellulus

[surroundx]

"At the other extreme, there are also a number of DD species where there is an almost total absence of recent sightings but extinction cannot be proven, i.e. there is reasonable doubt that the last individual has died [39]. This is exemplified by species such as C. jourdani from St Helena which is only known from ‘dead’ shells washed onto the beach in one small bay; C. bellulus and C. luteus which have not been reported since the 1970s; C. splendidulus which has not been seen in 20 years and C. sauros which is possibly extinct."

Source: Peters, H., O'Leary, B. C., Hawkins, J. P., Carpenter, K. E. and Roberts, C. M. (2013). Conus: First Comprehensive Conservation Red List Assessment of a Marine Gastropod Mollusc Genus. PLoS ONE 8(12): e83353.

[surroundx]

Cowie, Robert H., Régnier, Claire, Fontaine, Benoît, and Bouchet, Philippe. (2017). Measuring the Sixth Extinction: what do mollusks tell us? The Nautilus 131(1): 3-41.

[koeiyabe]

www.iucnredlist.org/details/192717/0

[Sebbe]

The cone snails of Cape Verde: Marine endemism at a terrestrial scale.

São Vicente and Santa Luzia
Eight species of Conus are endemic to these two islands, five of which occur on both. C. curralensis (NT) is restricted to Santa Luzia with C. denizi (NT) and C. lugubris (CR) restricted to São Vicente. With the exception of C. lugubris all São Vicente Conus occur off the island’s east coast. C. lugubris, however, is limited to the north shore of the island with its centre of population in the Baía de Salamansa. Most of the shallow water, rocky habitats occupied by this species have been disturbed, and most, if not all of their populations are thought to have been extirpated. No specimens of C. lugubris have been collected since the 1980s. C. decorates (VU), occurs along the southeast coast of São Vicente where it is subject to disturbance from beach tourism, fishers and shell collectors. It is also found along three kilometres in the southwest of Santa Luzia where populations are considered scarce. A further population at Salamansa in the north of São Vicente has been lost. C. bellulus (DD) has not been recorded for several years and has probably always been scarce. There are two other NT species, namely C. navarroi and C. saragasae. As with C. curralensis and C denizi both occupy highly restricted ranges in shallow water where they are at risk from pollution, over-gathering and habitat loss, although not yet at a level where they are at immediate risk.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989416300439#br000365

[Sebbe]

Taxonomic revision of West African cone snails (Gastropoda: Conidae) based upon mitogenomic studies: implications for conservation.

Africonus bellulus (Rolán, 1990)Fig. 3C
Conus bellulus Rolán, 1990: 44, pl. 1, fig. 14.
Conus bellulus – Monteiro et al. 2004: 28, pl. 85.
Material examined
HolotypeCABO VERDE • 18.9 mm; Santa Luzia Island, Curral; E. Rolán leg.; MNCN 15.05/1098 (Fig. 3C).
ParatypeCABO VERDE • 1 spec.; Santa Luzia Island, Curral; E. Rolán leg.; MJT.
Geographical distribution Santa Luzia (Curral) and São Vicente (Saragaça), Cabo Verde Archipelago.
Conservation status in IUCN Red ListData deficient.RemarksNo specimens of this species have been molecularly examined. Very few specimens have surfaced in the last 30 years, and most of them have been collected as empty shells. Clearly, more studies are needed in order to confirm the status of this taxon. Given the fact that most of the species described from the islands of São Vicente and Santa Luzia have shown relative large genetic divergences, we provisionally consider this as a valid species.

europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/975/2331