Conus nux

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

Conus nux
Apertural view of shell of Conus nux Broderip, 1833, measuring 21.3 mm in height, collected at low tide in San Carlos Bay, Mexico
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. nux
Binomial name
Conus nux Broderip, 1833
Synonyms[1]
Conus (Harmoniconus) nux Broderip, 1833 · accepted, alternate representation Conus ceylonensis Hwass Conus pusillus Gould, 1853 (invalid: junior homonym of Conus pusillus Lamarck, 1810) Harmoniconus nux (Broderip, 1833)

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 10 mm and 26 mm. The shell is coronated with a rather depressed spire. It is granular striate towards the base. Its color is white, variously marbled with chestnut, often obscurely white-banded at the upper part and below the middle of the body whorl. The base is tinged with violet.^[2]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean off Southwestern Baja California, Mexico to Ecuador; off the Galápagos Islands.