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

Conus spurius
Lindaconus spurius
Fossil, Pliocene
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. spurius
Binomial name
Conus spurius
Gmelin, 1791
Synonyms[1]
  • Conus (Lindaconus) spurius Gmelin, 1791 · accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus (Spuriconus) spurius Gmelin, 1791
  • Conus leoninus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 (invalid: junior homonym of Conus spurius [Lightfoot], 1786)
  • Conus ochraceus Lamarck, 1810
  • Conus paulina Kiener, 1850
  • Conus proteus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
  • Conus spurius arubaensis Nowell-Usticke, 1968
  • Conus spurius atlanticus Clench, 1942
  • Conus weinkauffii Löbbecke, 1882
  • Cucullus ferugineus Röding, 1798
  • Cucullus flammeus Röding, 1798
  • Cucullus gualterianus Röding, 1798
  • Cucullus leoninus Röding, 1798
  • Cucullus syriacus Röding, 1798
  • Lindaconus spurius (Gmelin, 1791)
  • Spuriconus spurius (Gmelin, 1791)

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.

Subspecies
  • Conus spurius aureofasciatus Rehder & Abbott, 1951(synonym: Lindaconus spurius aureofasciatus (Rehder & Abbott, 1951))
  • Conus spurius baylei Jousseaume, 1872 (synonyms: Conus baylei Jousseaume, 1872; Lindaconus spurius baylei (Jousseaume, 1872) )
  • Conus spurius lorenzianus Dillwyn, 1817 (synonyms: Conus flammeus Lamarck, 1810 (invalid: junior secondary homonym of Cucullus flammeus Röding, 1798; C. phlogopus is a replacement name); Conus lorenzianus Dillwyn, 1817; Conus phlogopus Tomlin, 1937; Conus undatus Kiener, 1847; Lindaconus spurius lorenzianus (Dillwyn, 1817))
  • Conus spurius spurius Gmelin, 1791 (synonym: Lindaconus spurius spurius (Gmelin, 1791))

Distribution

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This marine species occurs from East Florida to Venezuela; also off the West Indies.

Description

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The maximum recorded shell length is 80 mm.[2] The shell is white, with revolving series of spots and irregular or cloud-like markings of orange, chestnut or chocolate, often forming interrupted bands. The base of the shell is grooved. The spire shows a single broad sulcus.[3]

Habitat

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Minimum recorded depth is 0 m.[2] Maximum recorded depth is 64 m.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Conus spurius Gmelin, 1791. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 27 March 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Welch J. J. (2010). "The "Island Rule" and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.
  3. ^ 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 proteus)
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