''Conus algoensis'',
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
the algoa 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.
[Bouchet, P.; Rosenberg, G. (2015). Conus algoensis. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=225448 on 2015-06-27]
Like all species within the
genus ''
Conus
''Conus'' is a genus of predatory sea snails, or cone snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae.Bouchet, P.; Gofas, S. (2015). Conus Linnaeus, 1758. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at ...
'', these snails are
predatory and
venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.
There are four subspecies :
*''Conus algoensis algoensis''
Sowerby, G.B. I, 1834 (synonym: ''Conus algoensis agulhasi''
Coomans, Moolenbeek & Wils, 1980)
* ''Conus algoensis norpothi''
Lorenz, 2015 (alternate representation: ''Conus (Sciteconus) algoensis norpothi''
Lorenz, 2015)
* ''Conus algoensis scitulus''
Reeve, 1849 (synonym: ''Conus scitulus''
Reeve, 1849)
*''Conus algoensis simplex''
Sowerby, G.B. II, 1857 (synonym: ''Conus simplex''
G. B. Sowerby II, 1858 )
Description
The size of the shell varies between 12 mm and 60 mm. The thin shell is smooth,. It has a chestnut-brown color, with one or two bands of longitudinal white markings. The
spire is articulated with white and brown.
G.W. Tryon (1884) Manual of Conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species, vol. VI; Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences
/ref>
Distribution
This marine species occurs off the south coast of South Africa.
References
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
Gallery
File:Conus algoensis simplex 1.jpg, ''Conus algoensis simplex'' Sowerby, G.B. II, 1857
File:Conus algoensis simplex 2.jpg, ''Conus algoensis simplex'' Sowerby, G.B. II, 1857
File:Conus algoensis norpothi 001.jpg, ''Conus algoensis norpothi'' Lorenz 2015
External links
The ''Conus'' Biodiversity website
Cone Shells – Knights of the Sea
Branch, G.M. et al. (2002). ''Two Oceans''. 5th impression. David Philip, Cate Town & Johannesburg
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conus Algoensis
algoensis
Gastropods described in 1834