Conus rattus

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

Conus rattus
Two views of a shell of Conus rattus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. rattus
Binomial name
Conus rattus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792
Synonyms[1]
Conus (Rhizoconus) rattus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 · accepted, alternate representation Conus chemnitzii Dillwyn, 1817 Conus rattus var. tahitiensis Dautzenberg, 1933 Conus semivelatus G. B. Sowerby III, 1882 Conus taheitensis Reeve, 1843 Conus tahitiensis Dautzenberg, 1933 Conus taitensis Hwass in Bruguiere, 1792 Conus viridis G. B. Sowerby II, 1857 Rhizoconus rattus (Hwass in Bruguière, 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.

Description

The size of the shell varies between 25 mm and 70 mm. Typically found in water on sand or in crevices with a depth of 0 to −6,737 meters (0 to −22,103 ft).

The color of the shell is yellowish brown or ash-color, often with fine close chestnut revolving lines, with large white spots and maculations usually forming an interrupted central band and another at the shoulder. The shell has a flattish spire, rounded shoulders and several spiral ridges around the base of the body whorl. The aperture is pale purple.^[2][1]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Red Sea; in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar, Tanzania, Chagos, Aldabra, the Mascarene Islands; as an alien in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea; in the tropical Pacific Ocean and off Polynesia; off Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia]