New records and new species of cones from deeper water off Fiji (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Conidae)

A little less than 100 species of cones are known in the literature from waters around the Fiji islands, all intertidal to subtidal. We report here on the species taken by recent offshore and deep-water benthic sampling expeditions. Samples were taken to depths of 1300 m, although cones were taken not deeper than 680 m. Leaving aside two taxa of uncertain identity, the material contains 22 species from depths deeper than 100 m, all of which are new records for Fiji, including four new species (Conus cakobaui spec. nov., alive in 414-567 m; C. joliveti spec. nov., alive in 150-353 m; C. fijisulcatus spec. nov., alive in 150-188 m; and C. gigasulcatus spec. nov., alive in 290-300 m). A further 19 species are from depths shallower than 100 m, and these include six new records for Fiji, including two new species (C. fijiensis spec. nov., alive in 80-120 m; and C. sutanorcum spec. nov., alive in 32-50 m).