Conus desidiosus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conus desidiosus |
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| Apertural and abapertural views of shell of Conus desidiosus Adams, A., 1854 | |
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Conus desidiosus is a type of sea snail. It's a marine gastropod mollusk, which means it's a creature with a soft body, often protected by a shell, that lives in the ocean. This snail belongs to the Conidae family, also known as the cone snails.
Like all cone snails, Conus desidiosus is a predatory animal. This means it hunts and eats other small sea creatures. These snails are also venomous, meaning they can inject a special substance to catch their prey. Because of their venom, it's very important to be careful around live cone snails. It's best not to touch them at all.
What Does Conus desidiosus Look Like?
When Conus desidiosus was first described in 1854 by A. Adams, its shell was noted for its unique shape and colors. The shell has a shape that is like a pyramid and a cone. The bottom part of the shell has deep lines or grooves.
The shell's color is usually light brown. It often has a wide whitish band around its middle. There are also brown lines and wavy whitish lines on its back. The top part of the shell, called the spire, is tall and cone-shaped. The opening of the shell is curved.
One shell described by Adams was about 24.1 millimeters (about 1 inch) long and 11.6 millimeters (about 0.45 inches) wide. This particular snail was found near West Africa.
Where Do These Snails Live?
Conus desidiosus snails are found in different parts of the ocean. They were originally thought to live near West Africa.
However, some snails found near Faro, in Portugal, look very similar. These snails have special colors and features that make some scientists think they are the same species. There are also similar snails with a yellow color that might belong to this species.
In 1991, a scientist named Raybaudi studied some Conus ventricosus snails from Lampedusa, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. She noticed they looked a lot like Conus desidiosus. Even though Lampedusa is far from West Africa, she suggested that the snails from Lampedusa were indeed Conus desidiosus. This would mean the snail lives in the Mediterranean Sea too.
However, other scientists have pointed out that there are small differences between the snails from Lampedusa and the original Conus desidiosus shells. These differences include how the color bands are placed and the curve of the growth lines on the shell. These small details help scientists tell different snail species apart.
