Conus ermineus

Conus ermineus, common name the turtle cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.[1]

Conus ermineus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus ermineus Born, I. von, 1778
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conidae
Genus: Conus
Species:
C. ermineus
Binomial name
Conus ermineus
Born, 1778
Synonyms[1]
  • Chelyconus ermineus (Born, 1778)
  • Conus (Chelyconus) ermineus Born, 1778 · accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus aspersus G. B. Sowerby II, 1833
  • Conus caerulans Küster, 1838
  • Conus coerulescens Schröter, 1803
  • Conus eques Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
  • Conus grayi Reeve, 1844
  • Conus inquinatus Reeve, 1849
  • Conus leaeneus Link, 1807
  • Conus luzonicus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
  • Conus narcissus Lamarck, 1810
  • Conus oculatus Gmelin, 1791
  • Conus perryae Clench, 1942
  • Conus portoricanus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
  • Conus rudis Weinkauff, 1873
  • Conus testudinarius Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
  • Conus verrucosus piraticus Clench, 1942
  • Cucullus barathrum Röding, 1798
  • Cucullus crucifer Röding, 1798
  • Cucullus cutisanguina Röding, 1798

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.

Conus ermineus Born, I. von, 1778

Distribution

This species occurs in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico to South America; in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa and the Cape Verdes; in the Indian Ocean off Tanzania.

Description

The maximum recorded shell length is 103 mm.[2]

Conantokin-E is a toxin derived from the venom of Conus ermineus.

It is a fishing eating species. Utilizes specialized hollow harpoon like radula tooth to harpoon small fish and paralyze them with venom to facilitate swallowing.

Habitat

Minimum recorded depth is 0 m.[2] Maximum recorded depth is 101 m.[2]

Venom

Conus ermineus is a venomous species and capable of stinging humans, so it should be treated with caution. A delta-conotoxin (delta-EVIA) isolated from the venom of C. ermineus inhibits the inactivation of vertebrate Na + neural channels.[3]

References
  1. Conus ermineus Born, 1778. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 27 March 2010.
  2. Welch J. J. (2010). "The "Island Rule" and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.
  3. Barbier, Julien; Lamthanh, Hung; Le Gall, Frédéric; Favreau, Philippe; Benoit, Evelyne; Chen, Haijun; Gilles, Nicolas; Ilan, Nitza; Heinemann, Stefan H.; Gordon, Dalia; Ménez, André (6 February 2004). "A delta-conotoxin from Conus ermineus venom inhibits inactivation in vertebrate neuronal Na+ channels but not in skeletal and cardiac muscles". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 279 (6): 4680–4685. doi:10.1074/jbc.M309576200. ISSN 0021-9258. PMID 14615484. S2CID 23432288.
  • Conus ermineus Born, I. von, 1778
  • Conus ermineus Born, I. von, 1778
  • Conus ermineus Born, I. von, 1778


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