Page:American Seashells (1954).djvu/344

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, irreg- ular 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 Plate 14-0 Southeast Florida and the West Indies. 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 Plate 2 2y North Carolina to both sides of Florida to Yucatan. /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 Plates 1411; 2 2X South half of Florida and the West Indies.