Conidae
Conidae is a family of minute to quite large sea snails. They are marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Conoidea. Their beautiful shells are highly collectible.[2]
| Cone snails | |
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| A group of shells of various species of cone snails | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
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| Superfamily: | |
| Family: | Conidae Fleming, 1822[1]
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The snails within this family are sophisticated predatory animals.[3] The snails have eyes, and are active hunters.[4] They immobilize prey with a modified radular tooth. The tooth delivers venom with neurotoxins; it is launched out of the snail's mouth in a harpoon-like action.
There have been many suggested changes to the classification of cone shells, and the details are still under investigation. The very large genus Conus has 600 species, and there are six other subfamilies.
Conidae Media
Cone snail venom apparatus
References
- ↑ Fleming J. 1822. The philosophy of zoology, a general view of the structure, functions and classification of animals 2. Constable, Edinburgh. Conidae is on the page 490.
- ↑ Sullivan B.N. 2009. Collecting cone shells: special handling required. The Right Blue. [1]
- ↑ Piper R. 2007. Extraordinary animals: an encyclopedia of curious and unusual animals, Greenwood Press.
- ↑ Sullivan B.N. 2009. Muck-diving. The Right Blue. [2]