Conilithes Swainson 1840

Genus Conilithes Swainson, 1840

Type species (by monotypy): Conus antidiluvianus Bruguière, 1792. Miocene-Pliocene, Europe.

Note. According to Tucker & Tenorio (2009) this genus is characterised by species with a scalariform spire, the shoulder is angular and carinate and often bearing tubercles, but devoid of spiral sculpture. The subsutural flexure is deep and symmetrical. This is an extinct genus, with an Eocene to Pliocene stratigraphical distribution and is found in Europe and North America. Tucker & Tenorio (2009) erected the subfamily Conilithinae for this and other related genera. The molecular phylogeny presented by Puillandre et al. (2014) confirmed this deeply rooted phylogenetic group and used the genus Conasprella Thiele, 1929, with related groups relegated to subgenus level. Based on the fossil Paratethyan material, we can confirm this generic shell description. The shells have a tall to very tall scalariform, carinate spire, with beading at least on the earliest teleoconch whorls but devoid of spiral sculpture. Last whorl without beads; along with typical spiral cords, a reticulate pattern may rarely be formed. The subsutural flexures are deep (or rarely moderately deep), strongly curved and moderately asymmetrical and the last whorl relative diameter is medium to elongate.