Conus aulicus, common name the princely cone, is a species of a predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones.[2]

Conus aulicus
Apertural view of a shell of Conus aulicus
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. aulicus
Binomial name
Conus aulicus
Synonyms[2]
  • Conus (Darioconus) aulicus Linnaeus, 1758 accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus amadis var. aurantia Dautzenberg, 1937 (invalid: junior homonym of Conus aurantius Hwass in Bruguière, 1792)
  • Conus aulicus var. propenudus Melvill, 1900
  • Conus aulicus var. roseus G. B. Sowerby II, 1834
  • Conus auratus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
  • Conus aurifer Röding, P.F., 1798
  • Conus gracianus da Motta, 1982
  • Conus particolor Perry, 1810
  • Cucullus aurifer Röding, 1798
  • Darioconus aulicus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Darioconus auratus Hwass, C.H. in Bruguière, J.G., 1792

Description

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The size of an adult shell varies between 65 mm and 163 mm. The shell is rather narrow and has an elevated spire. The color of the shell is chocolate-brown, covered by elevated close revolving lines of darker color. The surface is irregularly overlaid by subtriangular white spots, some of which are very large. The operculum is a very minute square on the dorsal surface of the hinder part of the foot.

The proboscis of Conus aulicus is varied with red and white.[3]

Distribution

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This marine species occurs in the Indian Ocean off Chagos[2] and Mauritius;[2] in the Indo-Pacific Region (excl. Hawaii).

References

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  1. ^ Kohn, A. (2013). "Conus aulicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T192563A2116090. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T192563A2116090.en. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Bouchet, P. (2015). Conus aulicus Linnaeus, 1758. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=215471 on 2015-07-18
  3. ^ George Washington Tryon, Manual of Conchology, vol. VI p. 93; 1879
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