Conidae (also previously referred to as Coninae), with the current common name of "cone snails", is a taxonomic family (previously subfamily) of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Conoidea.
The 2014 classification of the superfamily Conoidea, groups only cone snails in the family Conidae. Some previous classifications grouped the cone snails in a subfamily, the Coninae.
Conidae currently (March 2015) contains over 800 recognized species. Working in 18th century Europe, Linnaeus knew of only 30 species which are still considered valid.
The snails within this family are sophisticated predatory animals. They hunt and immobilize prey using a modified radular tooth along with a venom gland containing neurotoxins; the tooth is launched out of the snail's mouth in a harpoon-like action.
Because all cone snails are venomous and capable of "stinging" humans, live ones should be handled with great care or preferably not at all.
Current 2014 taxonomy
In the Journal of Molluscan Studies, in 2014, Puillandre, Duda, Meyer, Olivera & Bouchet presented a new classification for the old genus Conus. Using 329 species, the authors carried out molecular phylogenetic analyses. The results suggested that the authors should place all living cone snails in a single family, Conidae, containing four genera: Conus, Conasprella, Profundiconus and Californiconus. The authors grouped 85% of all known cone snail species under Conus, They recognized 57 subgenera within Conus, and 11 subgenera within the genus Conasprella.
Overview
Prior to 1993, the family Conidae contained only Conus species. In 1993, significant taxonomic changes were proposed by Taylor, et al.,: the family Conidae was redefined as several subfamilies. The subfamilies included many subfamilies which had previously been classified in the family Turridae, and the Conus species were moved to the subfamily Coninae.
In further taxonomic changes which took place in 2009 and 2011, based upon molecular phylogeny (see below), the subfamilies which were previously in the family Turridae were elevated to the status of families in their own right. This left the family Conidae once again containing only those species which were traditionally placed in that family: the cone snail species.
1993, Taylor et al, Bouchet & Rocroi
According to Taylor, et al. (1993) and the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005, this family consisted of seven subfamilies.
In 2009, John K. Tucker and Manuel J. Tenorio proposed a classification system for the cone shells and their allies (which resorb their inner walls during growth) was based upon a cladistical analysis of anatomical characters including the radular tooth, the morphology (i.e., shell characters), as well as an analysis of prior molecular phylogeny studies, all of which were used to construct phylogenetic trees. In their phylogeny, Tucker and Tenorio noted the close relationship of the cone species within the various clades, corresponding to their proposed families and genera; this also corresponded to the results of prior molecular studies by Puillandre et al. and others. This 2009 proposed classification system also outlined the taxonomy for the other clades of Conoidean gastropods (that do not resorb their inner walls), also based upon morphological, anatomical, and molecular studies, and removes the turrid snails (which are a distinct large and diverse group) from the cone snails, and creates a number of new families. Tucker and Tenorio’s proposed classification system for the cone shells and their allies (and the other clades of Conoidean gastropods ) is shown in Tucker & Tenorio cone snail taxonomy 2009.
2011, Bouchet et al.
In 2011, Bouchet et al. proposed a new classification in which several subfamilies were raised to the rank of family:
Clathurellinae was split into three families: Borsoniidae (also including species from Turridae), Mitromorphidae and Clathurellidae (all previously lumped under the Turridae).
Mangeliinae and Oenopotinae were combined and raised to the rank of family Mangeliidae, which had previously been lumped in the Turridae).
Raphitominae was raised to the rank of family Raphitomidae (also previously lumped in the Turridae).
The classification by Bouchet et al. (2011) was based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA testing, and built on the prior work by J.K. Tucker & M.J. Tenorio (2009), but did not include fossil taxa.
Molecular phylogeny, particularly with the advent of nuclear DNA testing in addition to the mDNA testing (testing in the Conidae initially began by Christopher Meyer and Alan Kohn), is continuing on the Conidae.
2009, 2011, list of genera from Tucker & Tenorio, and Bouchet et al
This is a list of what were recognized extant genera within Conidae as per J.K. Tucker & M.J. Tenorio (2009), and Bouchet et al. (2011): However, all these genera have become synonyms of subgenera within the genus Conus as per the revision of the taxonomy of the Conidae in 2015
Afonsoconus Tucker & Tenorio, 2013: synonym of Conus (Afonsoconus) Tucker & Tenorio, 2013 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Africonus Petuch, 1975: synonym of Conus (Lautoconus) Monterosato, 1923 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Arubaconus Petuch, 2013: synonym of Conus (Ductoconus) da Motta, 1991 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Asprella Schaufuss, 1869: synonym of Conus (Asprella) Schaufuss, 1869 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Atlanticonus Petuch & Sargent, 2012: synonym of Conus (Atlanticonus) Petuch & Sargent, 2012 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Attenuiconus Petuch, 2013: synonym of Conus (Attenuiconus) Petuch, 2013 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Austroconus Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 synonym of Conus (Austroconus) Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Bathyconus Tucker & Tenorio, 2009: synonym of Conasprella (Fusiconus) Thiele, 1929, represented as Conasprella Thiele, 1929
Bermudaconus Petuch, 2013: synonym of Conus (Bermudaconus) Petuch, 2013 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Boucheticonus Tucker & Tenorio, 2013: synonym of Conasprella (Boucheticonus) Tucker & Tenorio, 2013 represented as Conasprella Thiele, 1929
Brasiliconus Petuch, 2013: synonym of Conus (Brasiliconus) Petuch, 2013 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Calamiconus Tucker & Tenorio, 2009: synonym of Conus (Lividoconus) Wils, 1970 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Calibanus da Motta, 1991: synonym of Conus (Calibanus) da Motta, 1991 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Cariboconus Petuch, 2003: synonym of Conus (Dauciconus) Cotton, 1945 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Thalassiconus Tucker & Tenorio, 2013: synonym of Calibanus da Motta, 1991, synonym of Conus (Calibanus) da Motta, 1991 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Theliconus Swainson, 1840: synonym of Hermes Montfort, 1810, synonym of Conus (Hermes) Montfort, 1810 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Thoraconus da Motta, 1991: synonym of Fulgiconus da Motta, 1991, synonym of Conus (Phasmoconus) Mörch, 1852 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Trovaoconus Tucker & Tenorio, 2009, synonym of Conus (Kalloconus) da Motta, 1991 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Tuckericonus Petuch, 2013: synonym of Conus (Dauciconus) Cotton, 1945 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Tuliparia Swainson, 1840: synonym of Gastridium Modeer, 1793, synonym of Conus (Gastridium) Modeer, 1793 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Turriconus Shikama & Habe, 1968, synonym of Conus (Turriconus) Shikama & Habe, 1968 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Utriculus Schumacher, 1817: synonym of Gastridium Modeer, 1793, synonym of Conus (Gastridium) Modeer, 1793 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Varioconus da Motta, 1991: synonym of Conus (Lautoconus) Monterosato, 1923 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Viminiconus Tucker & Tenorio, 2009: synonym of Conasprella (Fusiconus) da Motta, 1991 represented as Conasprella Thiele, 1929
Virgiconus Cotton, 1945: synonym of Conus (Virgiconus) Cotton, 1945 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Virroconus Iredale, 1930: synonym of Conus (Virroconus) Iredale, 1930 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Vituliconus da Motta, 1991: synonym of Conus (Strategoconus) da Motta, 1991 represented as Conus Linnaeus, 1758
Ximeniconus Emerson & Old, 1962: synonym of Conasprella (Ximeniconus) Emerson & Old, 1962 represented as Conasprella Thiele, 1929
Yeddoconus Tucker & Tenorio, 2009: synonym of Conasprella (Endemoconus) Iredale, 1931 represented as Conasprella Thiele, 1929
1993 to 2011 list of genera
Following Taylor et al., from 1993 to 2011, the family Conidae was defined as including not only the cone snails, but also a large number of other genera which are commonly known as "turrids". However, as a result of molecular phylogeny studies in 2011, many of those genera were moved back to the Turridae, or were placed in new "turrid" families within the superfamily Conoidea. The following list of genera that used to be included in Conidae is retained as a historical reference:
Cone snail venom characteristics and biotech
There are approximately 30 records of humans killed by cone snails. Human victims suffer little pain, because the venom contains an analgesic component. Some species reportedly can kill a human in under five minutes, thus the name "cigarette snail" as supposedly one only has time to smoke a cigarette before dying. Cone snails can sting through a wetsuit with their harpoon-like radular tooth, which resembles a transparent needle.
Normally, cone snails (and many species in the superfamily Conoidea) use their venom to immobilize prey before engulfing it. The venom consists of a mixture of peptides, called conopeptides. The venom is typically made up of 10 to 30 amino acids, but in some species as many as 60. The venom of each cone snail species may contain as many as 200 pharmacologically active components. It is estimated that more than 50,000 conopeptides can be found, because every species of cone snail is thought to produce its own specific venom.
Cone-snail venom has come to interest biotechnologists and pharmacists because of its potential medicinal properties. Production of synthetic conopeptides has started, using solid-phase peptide synthesis.
W-conopeptide, from the species Conus magus is the basis of the analgesic drug Prialt, an approved treatment for pain said to be 1000 times as powerful as morphine and used as a last resort in specific application. Conopeptides are also being looked at as anti-epileptic agents and to help stop nerve-cell death after a stroke or head injury. Conopeptides also have potential in helping against spasms due to spinal cord injuries, and may be helpful in diagnosing and treating small cell carcinomas in the lung.
The biotechnology surrounding cone snails and their venom has promise for medical breakthroughs; with more than 50,000 conopeptides to study, the possibilities are numerous.