def area_slice(cube, start_longitude, end_longitude, start_latitude,
               end_latitude):
    """
    Subset a cube on area.

    Function that subsets a cube on a box (start_longitude, end_longitude,
    start_latitude, end_latitude)
    This function is a restriction of masked_cube_lonlat();

    Arguments
    ---------
        cube: iris.cube.Cube
            input cube.

        start_longitude: float
            Western boundary longitude.

        end_longitude: float
              Eastern boundary longitude.

        start_latitude: float
             Southern Boundary latitude.

        end_latitude: float
             Northern Boundary Latitude.

    Returns
    -------
    iris.cube.Cube
        smaller cube.
    """
    # Converts Negative longitudes to 0 -> 360. standard
    start_longitude = float(start_longitude)
    end_longitude = float(end_longitude)
    start_latitude = float(start_latitude)
    end_latitude = float(end_latitude)

    region_subset = cube.intersection(
        longitude=(start_longitude, end_longitude),
        latitude=(start_latitude, end_latitude))
    region_subset = region_subset.intersection(longitude=(0., 360.))

    return region_subset