Kingdom Animalia Class Gastropoda Clade Hypsogastropoda Scientific name Conus spectrum | Phylum Mollusca Clade Caenogastropoda Clade Neogastropoda Rank Species | |
 | ||
Similar Conus stramineus, Conus glaucus, Conus striatellus, Conus aurisiacus, Conus cocceus | ||
Conus spectrum, common name the spectre 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 varies between 30 mm and 76 mm. The thin shell is cylindrically turbinated and somewhat inflated. The lower part of the body whorl shows distant revolving grooves. The color of the shell is white, variously painted with chestnut longitudinal irregular streaks, usually forming three broad series or bands.
Distribution
This species occurs in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar. It also occurs off Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan and Queensland, Australia.