Conus nocturnus

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

Conus nocturnus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus nocturnus (Solander in Lightfoot, J., 1786)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. nocturnus
Binomial name
Conus nocturnus sensu Lightfoot, 1786
Synonyms[1]
Conus (Conus) nocturnus [Lightfoot], 1786 · accepted, alternate representation Conus deburghiae G. B. Sowerby II, 1857 Conus nocturnus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 (synonym and homonym of Conus nocturnus [Lightfoot], 1786)

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 45 and 86 mm (1.8 and 3.4 in). The pattern of the markings are essentially the same as in Conus marmoreus, but the chocolate-color coalesces into two broad irregular bands within which the triangular white spots appear only occasionally. In Conus deburghiae the surface is sometimes granular in the revolving lines, and the nodules are compressed.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs off Madagascar, off Mauritius, Sri Lanka, the Moluccas and New Guinea.