Conus conspersus

Conus conspersus, common name the sprinkled cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.
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

During the 20th. Century, the holotype was misplaced and thought to be lost, but has now been rediscovered and confirmed and is once again available to science.
The size of the shell varies between 24 mm and 56 mm.

Distribution

This marine species occurs off the Philippines and Australia.

Venom

C. conspersus uses a specialized radular tooth to inject venom into its prey, which consists mostly of small marine worms and invertebrates. The venom is a complex mixture of conotoxins that can affect the nervous system. While stings on humans are rare, caution is advised. Cone snail venoms are studied for potential biomedical applications, especially in pain management.

Taxonomy

The species was first described by Lovell Augustus Reeve in 1844. It has been placed in different subgenera such as Asprella and Phasmoconus, but is currently accepted under the genus Conus.