Conasprella puncticulata explained

Conasprella puncticulata 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 family Conidae, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.

Subspecies:

• Conasprella puncticulata columba (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792) (synonym: Conus columba Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
• Conasprella puncticulata puncticulata (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792)

Distribution

This species occurs in the Caribbean Sea and off the Lesser Antilles.

Description

The maximum recorded shell length is 32 mm.^[1]

The shell is rather broad-shouldered and somewhat swollen above, slightly contracted and grooved towards the base. Its color is whitish, encircled by numerous lines of close, small chestnut spots, and often clouded longitudinally with light violaceous or chestnut, forming three obscure bands. The aperture is white or violaceous.^[2]

Habitat

Minimum recorded depth is 0 m.^[1] Maximum recorded depth is 15 m.^[1]

External links

• The Conus Biodiversity website
• Cone Shells – Knights of the Sea
• Puillandre N., Duda T.F., Meyer C., Olivera B.M. & Bouchet P. (2015). One, four or 100 genera? A new classification of the cone snails. Journal of Molluscan Studies. 81: 1–23

Notes and References

1. Welch J. J. (2010). "The "Island Rule" and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. .
2. https://archive.org/details/manualconch06tryorich G.W. Tryon (1884) Manual of Conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species, vol. VI; Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences