Kingdom Animalia Clade Caenogastropoda Clade Neogastropoda Scientific name Conus californicus Rank Species | Class Gastropoda Clade Hypsogastropoda Superfamily Conoidea Phylum Mollusca | |
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Similar Conasprella, Conus tulipa, Conus distans, Conus sponsalis, Conus princeps | ||
Californiconus californicus, common name the Californian cone, is a species of small, predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails.
Contents
As both the Latin name and common name suggest, this cone is found in California.
Distribution and habitat
This small cone snail is unusual, most species are tropical whereas this species lives in the cooler, temperate waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, including most of the coast of California. The range of this species is from the Farallon Islands near San Francisco to Bahia Magdalena, in Baja California, Mexico. [1]
This cone is found in both rocky and sandy areas, in the intertidal zone and subtidally down to 30 meters depth. [2]
Shell description
This shell is distinguished by its grayish-brown color and thick periostracum. It is round-shouldered with the aperture broader at the base. The spire is flat and the height of the shell ranges from 25–40 mm.
Feeding habits
The California cone hunts and eats marine worms, fish and mollusks. It is also a scavenger.
Fossil record
Fossils of Californiconus californicus have been recovered from the Late Pleistocene strata of Isla Vista, California.