Conasprella pagoda

Conasprella pagoda, common name the pagoda cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.^[2]

Conasprella pagoda
Apertural view of a shell of Conasprella pagoda
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conasprella
Species:	C. pagoda
Binomial name
Conasprella pagoda (Kiener, 1845)[1]
Synonyms[2]
Conasprella (Conasprella) pagoda ("Chenu, J.C." Kiener, L.C., 1845) accepted, alternate representation Conus cancellatus Hirase, S., 1934 Conus pagodus Kiener, 1847 (original combination)

Like all species within the genus Conasprella, 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 26 mm and 50 mm. The shell is pear-shaped, broad and angulated at the shoulder, contracted towards the base. The body whorl is closely sulcate throughout, with the sulci striate. The intervening ridges are rounded. The spire is carinate, concavely elevated, with an acute and striate apex. The color of the shell is whitish, obscurely doubly banded with clouds of light chestnut, and the spire maculated with the same.^[3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean off Japan, Vietnam, Philippines and New Caledonia.