Conus floccatus

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

Conus floccatus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus floccatus Sowerby, G.B. I, 1839
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. floccatus
Binomial name
Conus floccatus G. B. Sowerby I, 1841
Synonyms[2]
Conus (Pionoconus) floccatus G. B. Sowerby I, 1841 · accepted, alternate representation Conus circumsignatus Crosse, 1865 Conus magdalenae Kiener, 1845 Textilia floccata (G. B. Sowerby I, 1841)

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 35 mm and 86 mm. The solid shell has an oblong, subcylindrical shape. It is granosely silicate below. Its color is light purplish, with longitudinal flames and revolving bands of chestnut, and lines of angulate white spots.^[3]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, the Samoan Islands, the Marshall Islands, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia (Queensland).