Conus mercator

Conus mercator
Conus mercatorLinnaeus, 1758
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. mercator
Binomial name
Conus mercator Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms [2]
Conus (Lautoconus) cacaoFerrario, 1983 Conus (Lautoconus) fernandi(Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) Conus (Lautoconus) lamarckiiKiener, 1847 Conus (Lautoconus) mercatorLinnaeus, 1758 · accepted, alternate representation Conus (Lautoconus) orriNinomiya & da Motta, 1982 Conus cacaoFerrario, 1983 Conus dealbatusA. Adams, 1855 (nomen dubium) Conus lamarckiiKiener, 1845 Conus orrida Motta, 1982 Conus reticularisBory de Saint Vincent, 1827 Conus senegalensis(Gulden, Moolenbeek & Goud, 2017) Cucullus aureliusRöding, 1798 Lautoconus (Lautoconus) stimpsonorumCossignani & Allary, 2019 Lautoconus cacao(Ferrario, 1983) Lautoconus fernandiPetuch & Berschauer, 2018 Lautoconus gambiensisPetuch & Berschauer, 2018 Lautoconus lamarckii(Kiener, 1847) Lautoconus mercator(Linnaeus, 1758) Lautoconus orri(Ninomiya & da Motta, 1982) Lautoconus rikaePetuch & Berschauer, 2018 (original combination) Lautoconus senegalensisGulden, Moolenbeek & Goud, 2017 Lautoconus stimpsonorumCossignani & Allary, 2019 (original combination) Varioconus mercator(Linnaeus, 1758)· accepted, alternate representation

Conus mercator, common name the trader cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. ^[2]

Like all species within the genus Conus, 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 size of the shell varies between 20 mm and 55 mm. The shell is yellowish or ash-gray, often faintly longitudinally lined with chestnut, with a broad band at the shoulder and a narrower one at the middle, of white closely reticulated with chestnut. ^[3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Atlantic Ocean off Senegal.

References

1. Monnier, E. (2012). "Conus mercator". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012: e.T192497A2104168. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T192497A2104168.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
2. Conus mercator Linnaeus, 1975. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species  on 27 March 2010.
3. G.W. Tryon (1884) Manual of Conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species, vol. VI; Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences

• Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae. ii, 824 pp Archived 13 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine
• 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

Below are several color forms:

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  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
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  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
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  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
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  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
• 
  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
• 
  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
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  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
• 
  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
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  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
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  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
• 
  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758
• 
  Conus mercatorLinnaeus, C., 1758

External links

• The Conus Biodiversity website
• Cone Shells - Knights of the Sea
• "Lautoconus mercator mercator". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.