Conasprella tornata explained

Conasprella tornata, common name the grooved cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.^[1]

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

Description

Normal length is between 15 and 40 mm. The body whorl is narrowly elongated conical in shape. The spire is elevated and scalariform, conical in profile. The protoconch is multispiral. Color pattern is variable but rather simple.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Islas Cedros, Baja California to mid-Gulf of California, Mexico. South to Peru.^[2]

References

• Petit, R. E. (2009). George Brettingham Sowerby, I, II & III: their conchological publications and molluscan taxa. Zootaxa. 2189: 1–218

External links

• The Conus Biodiversity website
• Cone Shells – Knights of the Sea

Notes and References

1. Bouchet, P. (2015). Conasprella tornata (G. B. Sowerby I, 1833). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=836787 on 2015-06-22
2. Tenorio M.J., Tucker J.K. & Chaney H.W. (2012). The Families Conilithidae and Conidae. The Cones of the Eastern Pacific. In: Poppe G.T. & Groh K. (eds): A Conchological Iconography. Hackenheim: ConchBooks. 112 pp., 88 pls.