Chemical signals, including toxins, have
previously been used as characters to confirm an existing phylogeny,
using classic phylogenetic approach or clustering methods
(Nascimentoa et al., 2006), but rarely to help recognizing a new
species. These data, together with venom gland transcriptome
investigation, revealed that C. conco evolved specific conotoxins
not found in its sister-species. The patterns of phylogenetic relationships,
divergence estimation, geographical distribution and
venom diversity, within and between species, are discussed to suggest
a speciation scenario that led to the emergence of this new
species of cone snail.