Conus marchionatus

Conus marchionatus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus marchionatus Hinds, R.B., 1843
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Clade:	Caenogastropoda
Clade:	Hypsogastropoda
Clade:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. marchionatus
Binomial name
Conus marchionatus Hinds, 1843
Synonyms[1]
Conus (Eugeniconus) marchionatus Hinds, 1843 · accepted, alternate representation Conus caelatus A. Adams, 1855 Conus marchionatus var. eudoxus Tryon, 1884 Eugeniconus marchionatus (Hinds, 1843)

Conus marchionatus, common name the Marquesas 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 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 12 mm and 68 mm. The spire is depressed and shows spiral striae. Its color is yellowish or light brown, with large white rounded triangular spots. The pattern of coloring is very like Conus marmoreus, but lighter. The shell is immediately distinguished by the want of the coronal of tubercles and its usually small size.^[2][3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean off the Marquesas.

References

1. Conus marchionatus Hinds, 1843.  Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 27 March 2010.
2. G.W. Tryon (1884) Manual of Conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species, vol. VI; Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences
3. R.B Hinds, Descriptions of new shells from the collection of Captain Sir Edward Belcher; The Annals and magazine of natural history; zoology, botany, and geology v.11 (1843)

• Adams, A. 1855a. Descriptions of new species of the genus Conus, from the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1854:116-119.
• 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

External links

• The Conus Biodiversity website
• Cone Shells - Knights of the Sea
• Gastropods.com: Eugeniconus marchionatus