Conus trigonus

Conus trigonus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus trigonus Reeve, L.A., 1848
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Clade: Caenogastropoda
Clade: Hypsogastropoda
Clade: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conidae
Genus: Conus
Species: C. trigonus
Binomial name
Conus trigonus
Reeve, 1848
Synonyms[1]
  • Conus (Plicaustraconus) trigonus Reeve, 1848 · accepted, alternate representation
  • Plicaustraconus trigonus (Reeve, 1848)

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

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.

The subspecies Conus trigonus adami Wils, 1988 is a synonym of Conus adami Wils, 1988

Taxonomy

Conus adami is often treated as a subspecies or synonym of Conus trigonus. The latter is a shallow-water species occurring in NW Australia, whereas adami is an offshore species occurring off Northern Australia. The two overlap in the Darwin area, and there are specimens that appear to be intermediate. For conservation implications, the two are here listed as distinct.

Description

The size of the marine shell varies between 40 mm and 92 mm. The shell is somewrhat triangularly ovate and grooved at the base. The depressed spire has five grooves and is sharp at the apex. The color of the shell is white, stained and banded with reddish brown, and encircled with numerous narrow delicately articulated filaments. The spire is tessellated.[2]

Distribution

Range: North West Cape, Western Australia to the Northern Territories.[3]

References

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