Conus excelsus

Conus excelsus
The shell of Conus excelsus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Clade: Caenogastropoda
Clade: Hypsogastropoda
Clade: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conidae
Genus: Conus
Species: C. excelsus
Binomial name
Conus excelsus
Sowerby III, 1908
Synonyms[1]
  • Asprella tannaensis Cotton, 1945
  • Conus pulcherrimus Brazier, 1894 (invalid: junior homonym of Conus pulcherrimus Heilprin, 1879)
  • Conus (Turriconus) excelsus G. B. Sowerby III, 1908 · accepted, alternate representation
  • Kenyonia pulcherrima Brazier, 1896
  • Turriconus excelsus (G. B. Sowerby III, 1908)
  • Turriconus nakayasui Shikama & Habe, 1968

Conus excelsus, common name the excelsior cone or the illustrious cone, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails. [1]

Shell description

The shell has a very high spire, with a size varying between 28 mm and 102 mm, compared to most cone shells, and thus it is exceptionally long relative to its width. This, combined with its overall rarity, makes it desirable to shell collectors.

The shell coloration consists of orangish to yellow patterns against a white background.

Distribution

Conus excelsus is an Indo-Pacific species found principally around the Philippines, but also as north as southern Japan and as far east as New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. it also occurs off Queensland, Australia[2]

The species is rare but not endangered.

References

  1. 1 2 Bouchet, P. (2015). Conus excelsus G. B. Sowerby III, 1908. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=426492 on 2015-06-07
  2. Conus excelsus Sowerby iii, 1908 - Record: CONUS BIODIVERSITY WEBSITE CATALOGUE

External links

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