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

Conus gubernator
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus gubernator Hwass in Bruguière, J.G., 1792
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. gubernator
Binomial name
Conus gubernator
Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
Synonyms[1]
  • Conus (Pionoconus) gubernator Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 · accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus boivini Kiener, 1845
  • Conus leehmani da Motta & Röckel, 1979
  • Conus sutoreanus da Motta & Röckel, 1979
  • Conus sutorianus Weinkauff, 1874
  • Conus terminus Lamarck, 1822
  • Conus veillardi da Motta, 1990
  • Pionoconus gubernator (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792)
Conus gubernator Hwass in Bruguière, J.G., 1792

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.

Description

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The size of the shell varies between 50 mm and 106 mm. The whorls of the spire are carinate, channeled and striate. They are tessellated with chestnut. The body whorl is pink-white, longitudinally clouded with chestnut or chocolate, often obscurely two-banded. There are several distant sulci towards the base.[2]

Distribution

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This marine species occurs in the Western Indian Ocean off Madagascar, Tanzania, Mauritius, Chagos and the Mascarene Basin.

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Below are several color forms:

References

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  • The Conus Biodiversity website
  • Cone Shells – Knights of the Sea
  • "Pionoconus gubernator". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  • Holotype at MNHN, Paris