The Pliocene Gastropoda (Mollusca) of Estepona, southern Spain. Part 26: Conidae (Conoidea, Neogastropoda)

In this paper we continue to review the Conoidea Fleming, 1822 of the Upper Zanclean, Lower Pliocene of Estepona, southern Spain, and review the family Conidae Fleming, 1822. Twenty-four species in eight genera are recorded, none of which are described as new. The assemblage is typical for the Conidae of the Pliocene Mediterranean during the tropical ecostratigraphic unit MPPMU1 at both species and genus level during which cone shells were diverse and plentiful in the Mediterranean, reaching sizes of over 100 mm in height. Conid diversity dropped drastically due to the cooling event at about 3 Ma that left only three cone species in the Mediterranean during MPPMU2. Recent changes in conoidean supraspecific taxonomy have led to new combinations for most species. These new generic assignments drastically alter our understanding of conid palaeobiogeographical relationships for Pliocene Mediterranean cones. Affinities to IndoWest Pacific cones suggested by historical generic assignments is not supported, but instead there is strong correlation with present day West African faunas