On Friday, February 9, 2001, the Shell Museum hosted a one-day workshop on the taxonomy, variation, and biogeography of cone snails in the Conus cardinalis Hwass, 1777, complex. The intent of the informal meeting was to facilitate exchange of information between shell collectors and scientists and evaluate the current state of knowledge about this amazing group of marine snails, which are found mostly within the confines of the Bahamas.

Participants discussed the extent of variation in the characters used to define recently named species in the cardinalis complex (e.g., several works by Dr. E. J. Petuch of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton), and the possibility that many of these names represent just geographic variants of some of the species. Divers/collectors presented large series of snails gathered in selected localities in the Bahamas. Based on these series, participating scientists suggested a series of techniques, including DNA sequencing, that may be used to investigate whether the many species constituting the complex are in fact separate species. At the end of a very productive day, some of the participants agreed to join efforts in a project aiming to better clarify the relevance of the multitude of species names available in the cardinalis complex.

Workshop in progress at the Museum

Participants in alphabetical order: Dr. Laura Adamkewicz (George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia); Mr. Bill Cargile (Woodside, California); Dr. Jon and Vi Greenlaw, Dr. José H. Leal (The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Sanibel); Mr. Wayne Harland (Pompano Beach, Florida); Mr. Robert Masino (Fort Myers, Florida); Dr. Chris P. Meyer (Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville); Dr. Edward J. Petuch (Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida); Mr. Hal Pilcher (The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Sanibel); Dr. Gustav Paulay (Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville).