Conasprella elokismenos

Conasprella elokismenos
Apertural view of a shell of Conasprella elokismenos
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conasprella
Species:	C. elokismenos
Binomial name
Conasprella elokismenos (Kilburn, 1975) [1]
Synonyms [2]
Bathyconus elokismenos(Kilburn, 1975) Bathyconus orbignyi elokismenosKilburn, 1975 Conasprella (Fusiconus) elokismenos(Kilburn, 1975) · accepted, alternate representation Conus elokismenosKilburn, 1975 Conus orbignyi aratusKilburn, 1973 (Invalid: junior homonym of Conus aratusGabb, 1873; Conus orbignyi elokismenos is a replacement name) Conus orbignyi elokismenosKilburn, 1975

Conasprella elokismenos is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, commonly known as cone snails. ^[2]

Like all species within the genus Conasprella , these snails are predatory and venomous. These snails are known for their cone shaped shells and their venomous sting used to capture prey.

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 45 mm and 68 mm. They have a sleek, elongated, and conical shape, like other members of the Conasprella genus. The shell is smooth and glossy, featuring intricate patterns and banding, which can vary in colour. Many cone snails have shades of white, cream, brown, or orange with darker markings which gives them a striking appearance.

These snails have a tube-like struncture that they use to detect prey, and like other cone snails, they have a venomous harpoon-like radula for hunting small marine creatures.

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Indo-Pacific off Madagascar and KwaZuluNatal, South Africa; also in the Bismarck Sea off Papua New Guinea. They are found in tropical and subtropical marine environments. They tend to inhabit sandy or rocky areas, at depths ranging from shallow waters to deeper ocean zones.

References

1. Kilburn, R. N., 1975. Substitute name for Conus orbignyi aratus Kilburn, nom preocc.. The Nautilus: A Quarterly Devoted to Malacology, 89 (2 )
2. Bouchet, P. (2015). Conasprella elokismenos (Kilburn, 1975). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=835369 on 2015-03-10

• Röckel, D., Korn, W. & Kohn, A.J., 1995. Manual of the living Conidae. Volume 1: Indo-Pacific region. Hemmen: 517 pp
• Röckel, D., Richard, G. & Moolenbeek, R., 1995. Deep-water Cones (Gastropoda: Conidae) from the New Caledonia region. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 167: 557–594
• 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
• Puillandre N., Meyer C.P., Bouchet P. & Olivera B.M. (2011) Genetic divergence and geographic variation in the deep-water Conus orbignyi complex (Mollusca: Conoidea). Zoologica Scripta 40(4): 350–363.
• 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
• "Bathyconus orbignyi elokismenos". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
• Holotype in the MNHN, Paris