Conus geographus
Encyclopedia
Cnous geographus, common name
the geography cone, is a species
of predatory sea snail
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family
Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones. Although all cone snails hunt and kill prey using venom
, the venom of this species is known to be especially potent. Live cone snails of this species should not be handled or only handled with extreme caution, because they will sting humans, sometimes with serious results.
Geography cones grow to about 4 inches (10.2 cm) to 6 inches (15.2 cm) in length. The size of an adult shell varies between 43 mm and 166 mm. The ground color of the shell is pink or violaceous white, occasionally reddish. It has a mottled appearance, clouded and coarsely reticulated with chestnut or chocolate, usually forming two very irregular bands. This intricately brown-and-white pattern is highly prized by shell collectors.
The geography cone has a wide, violaceous white or pink aperture
and numerous shoulder ridges or spines. The shell is covered with thread-like revolving striae, usually nearly obsolete except at the base. The flattened spire
is striated and coronated.
In comparison with other species, the shell has a noticeably wider and convex mid-body, with a flattened spire
. Its walls are also noticeably thinner and lighter compared to other cone shells of similar length and size.
, in the Indian Ocean along Chagos, Madagascar
, Mauritius
, Mozambique
and Tanzania
. They are indigenous to the reefs of the Indo-Pacific
region, except for Hawaii.
Their venom, a complex of hundreds of different toxins, is delivered through a harpoon
-like tooth propelled from an extendable proboscis
. There is no antivenom for a cone snail sting, and treatment is limited to merely keeping victims alive until the toxins wear off.
Among the compounds found in cone snail venom are proteins which, when isolated, have enormous potential as pain-killing drugs. Research shows that certain of these proteins target specific human pain receptors and can be up to 10,000 times more potent than morphine without morphine's addictive properties and side-effects.
Conantokin-G is a toxin derived from the venom
of Conus
geographus.
that dwells in sediment of shallow reef
s, preying on small fish.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
the geography cone, is a species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of predatory sea snail
Sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for those snails that normally live in saltwater, marine gastropod molluscs....
, a marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones. Although all cone snails hunt and kill prey using venom
Venom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
, the venom of this species is known to be especially potent. Live cone snails of this species should not be handled or only handled with extreme caution, because they will sting humans, sometimes with serious results.
Shell description
Conus geographus has a broad, thin shell, cylindrically inflated.Geography cones grow to about 4 inches (10.2 cm) to 6 inches (15.2 cm) in length. The size of an adult shell varies between 43 mm and 166 mm. The ground color of the shell is pink or violaceous white, occasionally reddish. It has a mottled appearance, clouded and coarsely reticulated with chestnut or chocolate, usually forming two very irregular bands. This intricately brown-and-white pattern is highly prized by shell collectors.
The geography cone has a wide, violaceous white or pink aperture
Aperture (mollusc)
The aperture is an opening in certain kinds of mollusc shells: it is the main opening of the shell, where part of the body of the animal emerges for locomotion, feeding, etc....
and numerous shoulder ridges or spines. The shell is covered with thread-like revolving striae, usually nearly obsolete except at the base. The flattened spire
Spire (mollusc)
A spire is a descriptive term for part of the coiled shell of mollusks. The word is a convenient aid in describing shells, but it does not refer to a very precise part of shell anatomy: the spire consists of all of the whorls except for the body whorl...
is striated and coronated.
In comparison with other species, the shell has a noticeably wider and convex mid-body, with a flattened spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
. Its walls are also noticeably thinner and lighter compared to other cone shells of similar length and size.
Distribution
Geography cones are common. They occur in the Red SeaRed Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, in the Indian Ocean along Chagos, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. They are indigenous to the reefs of the Indo-Pacific
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...
region, except for Hawaii.
Venom
Conus geographus is highly dangerous - live specimens should be handled with extreme caution. Conus geographus has the most toxic sting known among Conus species and is responsible for more than thirty human fatalities.Their venom, a complex of hundreds of different toxins, is delivered through a harpoon
Harpoon
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch the animal...
-like tooth propelled from an extendable proboscis
Proboscis
A proboscis is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In simpler terms, a proboscis is the straw-like mouth found in several varieties of species.-Etymology:...
. There is no antivenom for a cone snail sting, and treatment is limited to merely keeping victims alive until the toxins wear off.
Among the compounds found in cone snail venom are proteins which, when isolated, have enormous potential as pain-killing drugs. Research shows that certain of these proteins target specific human pain receptors and can be up to 10,000 times more potent than morphine without morphine's addictive properties and side-effects.
Conantokin-G is a toxin derived from the venom
Venom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
of Conus
Conus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
geographus.
Ecology
Conus geographus is a piscivorePiscivore
A piscivore is a carnivorous animal which eats primarily fish. Piscivory was the diet of early tetrapods , insectivory came next, then in time reptiles added herbivory....
that dwells in sediment of shallow reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s, preying on small fish.