Conus litteratus

Conus litteratus, common name the lettered cone, is a species of sophisticated predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snail, cone shells or cones.[2]

Conus litteratus
Two views of a shell of Conus litteratus

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Clade: Caenogastropoda
Clade: Hypsogastropoda
Clade: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conidae
Genus: Conus
Species:
C. litteratus
Binomial name
Conus litteratus
Synonyms[2]
  • Conus (Elisaconus) litteratus Linnaeus, 1758 · accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus arabicus Lamarck, 1810
  • Conus grueneri Reeve, 1844
  • Cucullus pardus Röding, 1798
  • Elisaconus litteratus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Strategoconus litteratus (Linnaeus, 1758)

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 the shell varies between 24 mm and 186 mm. The thick, heavy shell has a flat spire. Its color is cream with 2-3 axial bands of yellow or orange bands dotted with black.

Habitat

It can be found in sand in and among coral in shallow water.

Distribution

This is a widespread Indo-Pacific species, occurring in the Indian Ocean off Tanzania, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin.

Apical view of a shell of Conus litteratus

Life habits

This cone species hunts and eats marine worms.

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References
  1. NatureServe (2013). "Conus litteratus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2014.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Bouchet, P. (2015). Conus litteratus Linnaeus, 1758. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=215522 on 2015-10-21
  • 102 mm, Australia
  • 69.4 mm, Philippines
  • 92.6 mm, Philippines
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