Kingdom Animalia Clade Caenogastropoda Clade Neogastropoda Scientific name Conus aurantius Rank Species | Class Gastropoda Clade Hypsogastropoda Superfamily Conoidea Phylum Mollusca | |
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Similar Conus curassaviensis, Conus attenuatus, Conus angasi, Conus boeticus, Conus ardisiaceus | ||
Conus aurantius, common name the golden cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.
Contents
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.
Distribution
This marine snail occurs off the Netherlands Antilles and off the Virgin Islands.
Description
The maximum recorded shell length is 70.4 mm. The shell has an elevated, tuberculated spire. The surface is irregularly clouded with chestnut or orange and white, and minutely marked with interrupted narrow brown or orange revolving lines, more or less broken up into articulations. Upon the lower half of the body whorl these lines become striae, and are distantly, minutely granular.
Habitat
Minimum recorded depth is 1.5 m. Maximum recorded depth is 10 m.