Kingdom Animalia Class Gastropoda Clade Hypsogastropoda Scientific name Conus princeps | Phylum Mollusca Clade Caenogastropoda Clade Neogastropoda Rank Species | |
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Similar Conus brunneus, Conus patricius, Conus genuanus, Conus pertusus, Conus nussatella | ||
Conus princeps, common name the prince 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.
Description
The size of the shell vbaries between 31 mm and 130 mm. The low shell has a distantly but distinctly tuberculated spire, and direct sides, slightly striate at the base. Its color is yellowish brown, orange or pink, sometimes without markings, but usually with irregular longitudinal chestnut or chocolate strigations most of which are continuous from spire to base. They vary from fine and close to heavier and more distant markings. The interior is yellow or pink. The epidermis is dark brown, fibrous, with distant revolving series of tufted spots.
The broad-striped state is Conus regius; that with the stripes obsolete is Conus lineolatus.
Distribution
This species occurs in the Caribbean Sea; off the Lesser Antilles and Puerto Rico.