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

Conus purus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus purus Tucker, Tenorio & Chaney, 2011
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conidae
Genus: Conus
Species:
C. purus
Binomial name
Conus purus
Pease, 1863
Synonyms[1]
  • Conus (Darioconus) leviteni (Tucker, Tenorio & Chaney, 2011) · accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus (Darioconus) purus Pease, 1863 · alternate representation
  • Conus leviteni (J. K. Tucker, Tenorio & Chaney, 2011)
  • Conus racemosus G. B. Sowerby III, 1874 · unaccepted* Conus stellatus Kiener, 1847
  • Darioconus leviteni Tucker, Tenorio & Chaney, 2011
  • Darioconus purus (Pease, 1863) ·

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

Description

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The size of the shell varies between 44 and 68 mm (1.7 and 2.7 in). Conus purus is white with a tented pattern tinged with reddish brown. The spire of the shell can range from flat to conical. Each individual cone shell has a different shell form, color, and pattern.[2] The spire of the cone comes to spire or a point.[3] Additionally, the animal has brown mottling and is tan, with distinct black, white, and red tips on the siphon.[2]

Behavior

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Cone snails possess venom that is so strong that it may rapidly paralyze and ultimately kill victims.[4] Conus purus venom is a complicated mixture of substances that blocks various neuromuscular pathways, ultimately resulting in paralysis.[4] It is estimated that the number of bioactive chemicals in each snail's venom is over 100,000. The development of a potent antitoxin has been hampered by the venom's intricacy and the several target routes. [4]

Unlike most cones, juveniles settle where they hatch.[2]

It feeds on other mollusks.[3]

Distribution

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This marine species is endemic to Hawaii.[1] The cone inhabits shallow water, no deeper than 15 ft (4.6 m).[2]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c WoRMS. "Conus purus Pease, 1863". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Hawaiian Penniform Cone, Conus (Darioconus) purus". www.marinelifephotography.com. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  3. ^ a b Kay, E. Alison (1979). Hawaiian marine shells. Reef and shore fauna of Hawaii. Honolulu, Hawaii: Bishop Museum Press. ISBN 978-0-910240-26-0.
  4. ^ a b c "Conus purus Cone Snail". www.reeflex.net. Retrieved 2024-03-21.[circular reference]

Further reading

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  • Tucker J.K., Tenorio M.J. & Chaney H.W. (2011) A revision of the status of several conoid taxa from the Hawaiian Islands: Description of Darioconus levieni n. sp., Pionoconus striatus oahuensis n. ssp. and Harmoniconus paukstisi n. sp. (Gastropoda, Conidae). In: Severns M., Shells of the Hawaiian Islands - The Sea Shells: 501-514. Conchbooks, Hackenheim.
  • Tucker J.K. & Tenorio M.J. (2013) Illustrated catalog of the living cone shells. 517 pp. Wellington, Florida: MdM Publishing.
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