Conus varius

Conus varius, common name the freckled cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.^[2]

Conus varius
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus varius Linnaeus, C., 1758
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. varius
Binomial name
Conus varius Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms[2]
Conus (Strategoconus) varius Linnaeus, 1758 · accepted, alternate representation Conus hevassii A. Adams, 1855 Conus pulchellus G. B. Sowerby I, 1834 (invalid: junior homonym of Conus pulchellus Swainson, 1822) Cucullus annularis Röding, 1798 Cucullus granulosus Röding, 1798 Cucullus radula Röding, 1798 Rolaniconus varius (Linnaeus, 1758) Stephanoconus varius Habe, T. 1964

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 30 mm and 61 mm. The color of the shell is white, marbled with orange, rose, chestnut or chocolate, with sometimes revolving lines of spots. The spire contains rather small tubercles. The basal half of the body whorl shows revolving grooves. The upper half of the body whorl shows revolving rows of tubercles, which become more distinct towards the spire.^[3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Indian Ocean off East Africa, the Mascarene Islands and Aldabra; off Fiji and Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland).