Conus encaustus explained

Conus encaustus, common name the burnt cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.

Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 21.1 mm and 35 mm. The spire is depressed, grooved and coronated with tubercles. The body whorl has distant punctured grooves, more strongly and closely grooved towards the base. The color of the shell is clouded with chocolate- and ash-color, and encircled with numerous chocolate and white spots in lines. The aperture is purplish.^[1]

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to the Marquesas Islands.

References

• Filmer R.M. (2001). A Catalogue of Nomenclature and Taxonomy in the Living Conidae 1758 – 1998. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. 388pp
• Tucker J.K. (2009). Recent cone species database. September 4, 2009 Edition

External links

• Kiener L.C. 1844–1850. Spécies général et iconographie des coquilles vivantes. Vol. 2. Famille des Enroulées. Genre Cone (Conus, Lam.), pp. 1–379, pl. 1-111 [pp. 1–48 (1846); 49–160 (1847); 161–192 (1848); 193–240 (1849); 241-[379](assumed to be 1850); plates 4,6 (1844); 2–3, 5, 7–32, 34–36, 38, 40–50 (1845); 33, 37, 39, 51–52, 54–56, 57–68, 74–77 (1846); 1, 69–73, 78–103 (1847); 104–106 (1848); 107 (1849); 108–111 (1850)]. Paris, Rousseau & J.B. Baillière
• The Conus Biodiversity website
  • Cone Shells – Knights of the Sea

Notes and References

1. [George Washington Tryon]