Conus nussatella

Conus nussatella, common name the Nussatella cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.^[3]

Conus nussatella
Five views of a shell of Conus nussatella
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. nussatella
Binomial name
Conus nussatella Linnaeus, 1758[2]
Synonyms[3]
Conus (Hermes) nussatella Linnaeus, 1758 · accepted, alternate representation Conus kawanishi Shikama, T., 1970 Conus nussatella var. tenuis G. B. Sowerby I, 1834 (invalid: junior homonym of Conus tenuis G. B. Sowerby I, 1833) Gastridium nussatella Salvat, B. & Rives, C. 1975 Hermes kawanishii Shikama, 1970 Hermes nussatellus (Linnaeus, 1758)

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 an adult shell varies between 35 mm and 95 mm. The heavy shell is closely striated, the striae minutely granular. The spire is short but acuminate. The color of the shell is yellowish white, clouded irregularly with orange-brown or light purple-brown blotches, with numerous chestnut spots on the striae.^[4]

Distribution

This species is found in the sublittoral zone of the Red Sea and the entire tropical Indo-Pacific Region; off Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia).