Conus mozambicus, common name the Mozambique cone or the elongate cone, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a predatory marine gastropod mollusc in the family Conidae, the cone snails or cone shells.[1]
| Conus mozambicus | |
|---|---|
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| Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus mozambicus Hwass in Bruguière, J.G., 1792 | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
| Order: | Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Conoidea |
| Family: | Conidae |
| Genus: | Conus |
| Species: | C. mozambicus
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| Binomial name | |
| Conus mozambicus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Distribution edit
Conus mozambicus cone is known off the southern African coast from Lüderitz Bay to Mossel Bay, subtidally in shallow water. The species is endemic to this region.[2] It is also found off Senegal and Mozambique.
Description edit
Conus mozambicus has a medium-sized shell which may grow to 65mm in total length. It has a sharply pointed spire. The shell colour is dull and mottled with brown, and there may be darker blotches at the shoulder. The spire of the shell is stepped.[3]
Ecology edit
Conus mozambicus feeds on polychaete worms. The egg capsules are vase-shaped and contain 19-23 eggs.[2]
References edit
- ^ a b Rosenberg, G.; Bouchet, P. (2015). Conus mozambicus. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=225458 on 2015-11-07
- ^ a b Kilburn R. & Rippey E. 1982. Sea Shells of Southern Africa Macmillan ISBN 0-86954-094-7
- ^ Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2005. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 0-86486-672-0
- Petit, R. E. (2009). George Brettingham Sowerby, I, II & III: their conchological publications and molluscan taxa. Zootaxa. 2189: 1–218
- 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 edit
- Cone Shells - Knights of the Sea
- "Floraconus mozambicus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.