Conus nigropunctatus

Conus nigropunctatus, common name the black-spot cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones.[1]

Conus nigropunctatus
Apertural view of a shell of Conus nigropunctatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conidae
Genus: Conus
Species:
C. nigropunctatus
Binomial name
Conus nigropunctatus
G. B. Sowerby II, 1858
Synonyms[1]
  • Conus (Pionoconus) nigropunctatus G. B. Sowerby II, 1858 · accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus nigropunctatus elatensis Wils, 1971
  • Conus nigropunctatus var. peledi Wils, 1971
  • Pionoconus nigropunctatus (G. B. Sowerby II, 1858)

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

Description

The size of the shell varies between 25 mm and 50 mm. The bulbous shell has a convex, striate spire. The body whorl has rounded striate, which are usually obsolete above, granular below. The color is olive, chestnut-, chocolate- or pink-brown, variously marbled and flecked with white, often faintly white-banded below the middle. The shell is encircled by a series of chocolate-colored dots.[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Red Sea and the Western Pacific

References
  1. Bouchet, P. (2015). Conus nigropunctatus G. B. Sowerby II, 1858. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=429215 on 2015-11-09
  2. G.W. Tryon (1884) Manual of Conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species, vol. VI; Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences (described as Conus catus var. nigropunctatus)
  • To World Register of Marine Species
  • Cone Shells - Knights of the Sea
  • "Pionoconus nigropunctatus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
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