Conus marchionatus, commonly known as the Marquesas cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, which includes the cone snails and their allies.
Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of delivering a venomous sting to humans; therefore, live specimens should be handled with great caution or avoided altogether.
Description The size of the shell of Conus marchionatus varies between 12 mm and 68 mm. The spire is depressed and features spiral striae. The shell's coloration is yellowish or light brown, adorned with large, white, rounded triangular spots. Its pattern of coloring closely resembles that of Conus marmoreus, though it is generally lighter.
The shell is easily distinguished by the absence of the coronal of tubercles, which is characteristic of some other cone snail species, and its relatively small size compared to other members of the genus.G.W. Tryon (1884). Manual of Conchology, Structural and Systematic, with Illustrations of the Species, Vol. VI. Philadelphia: Academy of Natural Sciences.Hinds, R.B. (1843). "Descriptions of New Shells from the Collection of Captain Sir Edward Belcher". The Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Including Zoology, Botany, and Geology. Vol. 11.
Distribution This species is found in the Pacific Ocean, specifically around the waters of the Marquesas Islands.
References
Adams, A. 1855a. "Descriptions of new species of the genus Conus, from the collection of Hugh Cuming, Esq." Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 1854: 116–119. 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