Conus zeylanicus

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

Conus zeylanicus
Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus zeylanicus Gmelin, J.F., 1791
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. zeylanicus
Binomial name
Conus zeylanicus Petuch, 1987
Synonyms[1]
Conus (Puncticulis) zeylanicus Gmelin, 1791 · accepted, alternate representation Conus ceylonicus Reeve, 1849 Conus ceylonicus G. B. Sowerby II, 1857 Conus obesus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 Conus zeylandicus [sic] (misspelling) Cucullus meningeus Röding, 1798 Cucullus theobroma Röding, 1798 Puncticulis zeylanicus (Gmelin, 1791)

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 27 mm and 78 mm. The shell is obsoletely coronated with tubercles. The stout body whorl is somewhat convex. The ground color of the shell is white or very pale yellow or bluish, faintly clouded, with numerous small chestnut or chocolate spots and short lines, often forming dark clouds, so placed as to make interrupted, revolving bands.^[2]

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Indian Ocean (Tanzania, Mascarene Islands) and eastwards as far as Indonesia.