Conus archon

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

Conus archon
Apertural view of shell of Conus archon Broderip, 1833, measuring 64.4 mm in height, dredged at 290 ft. off Danzante Island, in Mexico.
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. archon
Binomial name
Conus archon Broderip, 1833
Synonyms[2]
Conus (Stephanoconus) archon Broderip, 1833 · accepted, alternate representation Protoconus archon (Broderip, 1833) Tenorioconus archon (Broderip, 1833)

Abapertural view of shell of Conus archon Broderip, 1833

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 spire is concavely elevated, not coronated. The body whorl is smooth and slightly striate below. The shell is irregularly marbled with chestnut and white, with equidistant chestnut revolving lines bearing white spots. The length of the shell varies between 38 mm and 70 mm^[3]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off the West Coast of Mexico and Central America (the Gulf of California to Panama)