Conus mus

Conus mus, common name the mouse cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.^[1]

Conus mus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus mus Hwass in Bruguière, J.G., 1792
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. mus
Binomial name
Conus mus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
Synonyms[1]
Conus (Monteiroconus) mus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 · accepted, alternate representation Conus barbadensis auct. non Hwass, 1792 (misidentification by Hwass (1792) ) Conus citrinus auct. non Gmelin, 1791 (misidentification by Clench (1942, 1953) ) Gladioconus mus (Hwass in Bruguière, 1792) Leptoconus mus (Hwass, 1792)

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.

Distribution

This shallow-water species occurs in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico; in the Western Atlantic from North Carolina, USA and the Bermudas to Venezuela including the Eastern Caribbean island chain, and Barbados.

Description

The maximum recorded shell length is 43.5 mm.^[2] The shell has a tuberculated spire. The body whorl is covered by narrow, raised revolving striae. Its color is ash-white, longitudinally streaked and maculated with chestnut. The tubercles of the spire are white, and there is usually a white band below the middle of the body whorl. The aperture is chestnut-colored, with a central white band.^[3] Rarely, giant specimens of 50–60 mm. are known, but these are far from normal.

Habitat

Minimum recorded depth is 0 m.^[2] Maximum recorded depth is 18 m.^[2]