Conus locumtenens

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

Conus locumtenens
Apertural view of Conus locumtenens
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. locumtenens
Binomial name
Conus locumtenens Blumenbach, 1791[1]
Synonyms[2]
Conus (Leptoconus) locumtenens Blumenbach, 1791 · accepted, alternate representation Conus acuminatus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 Conus coxianus G. B. Sowerby III, 1895 Conus insignis G. B. Sowerby II, 1833 Conus multicatenatus G. B. Sowerby II, 1865 Conus schech Weinkauff, 1873 Conus substitutus Link, 1807 Conus viaderi Fenaux, 1942 Conus vicarius Röding, 1798 Cucullus vicarius Röding, 1798 Leptoconus locumtenens (Blumenbach, 1791)

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.

Subspecies

• Conus locumtenens assilorenzoi (Cossignani & Assi, 2016)
• Conus locumtenens biggii (Cossignani & Assi, 2016)
• Conus locumtenens linae (Cossignani & Assi, 2016)
• Conus locumtenens locumtenens Blumenbach, 1791

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 30 mm and 66 mm. The spire is channeled and concavely elevated. The color of the shell is yellowish or pink-white, with a network of chestnut or chocolate. It is sometimes indistinctly banded, with lines of spots on the bands. The aperture is generally rose-tinted.^[3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and in the Indian Ocean off Somalia.