Conus vidua explained

Conus vidua, common name the vidua cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones.^[1]

These snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans.

Subspecies:

• Conus vidua cuyoensis Lorenz & Barbier, 2012
• Conus vidua vidua Reeve, 1843

Forma and varieties brought into synonymy:

• Conus vidua f. mozoii L. S. Melvin, 1980: synonym of Conus bandanus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
• Conus vidua var. azona Wils, 1972: synonym of Conus thalassiarchus G. B. Sowerby I, 1834
• Conus vidua var. depriesteri Wils, 1972: synonym of Conus thalassiarchus G. B. Sowerby I, 1834

Description

The size of the shell varies between 42 mm and 150 mm. This species is closely related to Conus araneosus nicobaricus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792, but the bands not so well outlined usually, and are scattered with triangular white spots upon them.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off the Philippines.

References

• Lorenz F. & Barbier J.P. (2012) Two new cones from the Philippines (Gastropoda: Conidae). Acta Conchyliorum 11: 3-10.
• 10.1093/mollus/eyu055 . 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 . 1–23. 4541476. 26300576.

External links

• To World Register of Marine Species
• Cone Shells - Knights of the Sea
  • Holotype of Conus vidua cuyoensis in MNHN, Paris

Notes and References

1. Bouchet, P. (2015). Conus vidua Reeve, 1843. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=429412 on 2015-12-21
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