Clade Hypsogastropoda | Rank Species | |
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Similar Chelyconus, Conasprella jaspidea, Conus purpurascens, Conus daucus, Conus genuanus | ||
Conus ermineus, common name the turtle 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 species occurs in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico; in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa and the Cape Verdes; in the Indian Ocean off Tanzania.
Description
The maximum recorded shell length is 103 mm.
Conantokin-E is a toxin derived from the venom of Conus ermineus.
It is a fishing eating species. Utilizes specialized hollow harpoon like radula tooth to harpoon small fish and paralyze them with venom to facilitate swallowing.
Habitat
Minimum recorded depth is 0 m. Maximum recorded depth is 101 m.