Conus ambiguus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conus ambiguus |
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| Drawing of the shell of Conus ambiguus from its original type description. | |
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The Conus ambiguus, also known as the doubtful cone, is a type of sea snail. It is a marine gastropod mollusk, which means it's a snail that lives in the ocean. This species belongs to the family Conidae, which includes all the different kinds of cone snails.
Like all cone snails, Conus ambiguus is a predatory animal. This means it hunts and eats other small sea creatures. These snails are also venomous. They can deliver a "sting" if handled. Because of their venom, it's very important to be careful around live cone snails. You should never touch them.
What is the Doubtful Cone Snail?
The Conus ambiguus was first found and described in 1844. A scientist named Lovell Augustus Reeve wrote about it. He gave it its scientific name and its common name, the "doubtful cone."
What does the shell look like?
The shell of the Conus ambiguus is mostly whitish. It has faint, light brown bands and streaks that run lengthwise. The top part of the shell, called the spire, has curved brownish spots.
The shell is about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) tall. The specific shell that Reeve used to describe the species is 39 millimeters tall and 22 millimeters wide. This important shell is kept safe at the Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam.
Where does the Doubtful Cone Snail live?
The exact place where Conus ambiguus was first found was not written down. However, we know that this species lives in the Atlantic Ocean.
You can find these snails off the coast of West Africa. This includes countries like Senegal, Guinea Bissau, and Angola. They live in the warm waters of these regions.
