Conus monachus

Conus monachus, common name the monastic cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones.^[2]

Conus monachus
Apertural view of a shell of Conus monachus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. monachus
Binomial name
Conus monachus Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms[2]
Conus (Pionoconus) monachus Linnaeus, 1758 · accepted, alternate representation Conus contusus Reeve, 1848 Conus frostianus Brazier, 1898 Conus nebulosus Gmelin, 1791 Conus vinctus A. Adams, 1855 Cucullus cinerarius Röding, 1798 Cucullus guttatus Röding, 1798 Cucullus maculosus Röding, 1798 Pionoconus monachus (Linnaeus, 1758) Pionoconus vinctus (A. Adams, 1855)

These snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of stinging humans.

Description

The size of the shell varies between 18 mm (0.71 in) and 74 mm (2.9 in). The shell is a little inflated and distantly grooved below. The spire is striate and somewhat convex. The shell is white, longitudinally marbled and flecked with dull blue or purple.^[3] It captures its prey by using the "taser-and-tether" (harpoon) strategy. This means it stuns its prey by using venom and extends a proboscis from its rostrum and "hooks" the fish, the same way a harpoon would.^[4]

Distribution and habitat

This marine species occurs in the Indo-Pacific. It is found in the neritic zone and resides in muddy sand and under rocks.^[5]