Conus mozambicus

Conus mozambicus, common name the Mozambique cone or the elongate cone, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a predatory marine gastropod mollusc in the family Conidae, the cone snails or cone shells.^[1]

Conus mozambicus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus mozambicus Hwass in Bruguière, J.G., 1792
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. mozambicus
Binomial name
Conus mozambicus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
Synonyms[1]
Conus (Floraconus) mozambicus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 · accepted, alternate representation Conus altispiratus G. B. Sowerby II, 1873 Conus caffer Krauss, 1848 (invalid: junior homonym of Conus caffer Röding, 1798) Conus informis Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 Conus lautus Reeve, 1844 Conus macei Crosse, 1865 Conus mozambicus lautus Reeve, 1844 Conus mozambicus mozambicus Hwass, 1792 Sciteconus mozambicus (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792)

Distribution

Conus mozambicus cone is known off the southern African coast from Lüderitz Bay to Mossel Bay, subtidally in shallow water. The species is endemic to this region.^[2] It is also found off Senegal and Mozambique.

Description

Conus mozambicus has a medium-sized shell which may grow to 65mm in total length. It has a sharply pointed spire. The shell colour is dull and mottled with brown, and there may be darker blotches at the shoulder. The spire of the shell is stepped.^[3]

Ecology

Conus mozambicus feeds on polychaete worms. The egg capsules are vase-shaped and contain 19-23 eggs.^[2]