326 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XI, July, 1957 
GEOGRAPHIC range: USNM collections are 
from all along the east African coast, eastward 
through the Indian and Pacific oceans to the 
Cook Islands, and from southern Japan south 
to northern Australia; but the species is un- 
common in Micronesia. Not found in Hawaii. 
Conus aulicus Linne, 1758 (syn. episcopus Hwass, 
1789). 
Platt (1949) p. 53, col. fig. 17; Kira (1955) 
pi. 37, fig. 14. 
Characteristically 1.75 to 6 inches long and 
reddish-brown with white tent-shaped mark- 
ings. Although some workers consider C. 
episcopus Hwass to be a distinct species, it is 
here considered synonymous with C. aulicus. 
Lives among rocks on seaward reef flats, 
ordinarily along windward shores. Like many 
cones, C. aulicus has a venomous bite. An 
account of poisonous cone species, of wounds 
received, and of the biting mechanism is given 
by Clench and Kondo (1946). Like most 
cones, C. aulicus is nocturnal. 
geographic range: USNM records are 
from Cocos-Keeling Atoll eastward through 
the Pacific to the Tuamotu Islands, and from 
the Ryukyu Islands south to northern Aus- 
tralia and New Caledonia, but the species is 
uncommon in Micronesia. Not found in 
Hawaii. 
Conus capitaneus Linne, 1758. 
Hirase and Taki (1951) pi. 114, fig. 3. 
Characteristically 1.25 to 2.5 inches long. 
The recent Micronesian collections include 
only three worn specimens. One was dredged 
from Tomil Harbor, Yap. Another was found 
among beach drift at Burok Island, Rongelap. 
The third, for which there is no specific lo- 
cality data, is from Ifaluk. 
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: According to USNM 
records and published reports, this uncom- 
mon Micronesian species is found all along 
the African coast, eastward through the Indian 
and Pacific oceans to Tonga and Samoa; and 
from southern Japan, the Mariana, and Mar- 
shall islands south to eastern Australia. Not 
reported from Hawaii. 
Conus catus Hwass, 1789- 
Tinker (1952) p. 34, 2 figs, on p. 35; Kira 
(1955) pi. 36, fig. 16. 
Characteristically 1.5 to 2.5 inches long and 
dark brown with irregular white spots. 
Ordinarily lives under rocks and loose coral 
on windward ocean reef flats. Not reported 
from lagoon reefs. 
geographic range: According to USNM 
records and published reports, this common 
Indo-Pacific cone occurs from Africa and the 
Red Sea eastward through the Indian and 
Pacific oceans to the Society and Tuamotu 
islands, and from southern Japan and Hawaii 
south to northern Australia and New Cale- 
donia. 
Conus chaldeus (Roding, 1798) (syn. vermicula- 
tus Lamarck, 1822). 
Tinker (1952) p. 44, 2 figs, on p. 45 [as 
C. vermiculatus] ; Kira (1955) pi. 36, fig. 
11 . 
Characteristically 0.75 to 1.25 inches long. 
Body whorl white with dark brown, elongate 
vertical markings. Resembles, and is com- 
monly found with, C. ebraeus , but may be 
distinguished from that species by the elong- 
ate markings on its shell which are unlike the 
squarish color blocks of C. ebraeus. 
Ordinarily lives among rocks on seaward 
reef flats, both windward and leeward, but also 
reported from exposed, windward lagoon reef 
flats. Characteristically found below low tide 
line, generally in the extreme seaward zones 
of the reef, but also occurs in tide pools across 
the reef flat. 
GEOGRAPHIC range: USNM records of this 
common Indo-Pacific species are from East 
Africa and Mauritius eastward through the 
Indian and Pacific oceans to the Society and 
Tuamotu islands; and from southern Japan 
and Hawaii south to the East Indies, New 
Guinea, and Fiji. Reported from northern 
Australia. 
