Conasprella tornata, common name the grooved cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.Bouchet, P. (2015). Conasprella tornata (G. B. Sowerby I, 1833). In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=836787 on 2015-06-22
Like all species within the genus Conasprella, 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 length is usually between 15 and 40 mm. The body whorl is narrowly elongated conical in shape. The spire is elevated and scalariform, conical in profile. The protoconch is multispiral. Color pattern is variable but rather simple.Tenorio M.J., Tucker J.K. & Chaney H.W. (2012). The Families Conilithidae and Conidae. The Cones of the Eastern Pacific. In: Poppe G.T. & Groh K. (eds): A Conchological Iconography. Hackenheim: ConchBooks. 112 pp., 88 pls.
Distribution This marine species occurs off Islas Cedros, Baja California to mid-Gulf of California, Mexico; and south to Peru.
References
Petit, R. E. (2009). George Brettingham Sowerby, I, II & III: their conchological publications and molluscan taxa. Zootaxa. 2189: 1–218
External links
The Conus Biodiversity website Cone Shells – Knights of the Sea