''Conus lemniscatus'', common name the ribbon cone, is a species of
sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...
, a marine
gastropod
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...
mollusk in the
family Conidae
Conidae, 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 onl ...
, the
cone snails
A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex.
A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines co ...
and their allies.
; Subspecies:
* ''Conus lemniscatus carcellesi''
Martins, 1945 (synonym: ''Lamniconus lemniscatus carcellesi''
(Martins, 1945)): synonym of ''
Conus carcellesi''
Martins, 1945
* ''Conus lemniscatus lemniscatus''
Reeve, 1849 (synonym: ''Lamniconus lemniscatus lemniscatus''
(Reeve, 1849)): synonym of ''Conus lemniscatus''
Reeve, 1849
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 an adult shell varies between 20 mm and 65 mm. The shell shows slightly contracted sides. The
spire is acuminated with strong growth lines. The
body whorl
The body whorl is part of the morphology of the shell in those gastropod mollusks that possess a coiled shell. The term is also sometimes used in a similar way to describe the shell of a cephalopod mollusk.
In gastropods
In gastropods, the b ...
is delicately ridged throughout. The color of the shell is whitish, maculated with chestnut, and with every alternate ridge chestnut-spotted.
[ George Washington Tryon, Manual of Conchology vol. VI, p. 36; 1879]
Distribution
This species occurs in the
Caribbean Sea and in the Western Atlantic Ocean off
Brazil and
Argentina.
References
* Sowerby, G. B., II. 1865. ''Descriptions of two new species of Conus from the collection of H. Cuming, ESQ., and two from the collection of the late Mr. Denisson''. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1865:518–519, pl. 32
* Filmer R.M. (2001). ''A Catalogue of Nomenclature and Taxonomy in the Living Conidae 1758 – 1998''. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. 388pp
* Tucker J.K. (2009). ''Recent cone species database''. September 4, 2009 Edition
* Tucker J.K. & Tenorio M.J. (2009) ''Systematic classification of Recent and fossil conoidean gastropods.'' Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 296 pp.
Puillandre N., Duda T.F., Meyer C., Olivera B.M. & Bouchet P. (2015). ''One, four or 100 genera? A new classification of the cone snails.'' Journal of Molluscan Studies. 81: 1–23
External links
The ''Conus'' Biodiversity website*
Cone Shells – Knights of the Sea
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conus Lemniscatus
lemniscatus
Gastropods described in 1849