Conus mercator facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Conus mercator
Conus mercator Linnaeus, 1758
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Genus:	Conus
Species:	C. mercator
Binomial name
Conus mercator Linnaeus, 1758
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Synonyms
Conus (Lautoconus) cacao Ferrario, 1983 Conus (Lautoconus) fernandi (Petuch & Berschauer, 2018) Conus (Lautoconus) lamarckii Kiener, 1847 Conus (Lautoconus) mercator Linnaeus, 1758 · accepted, alternate representation Conus (Lautoconus) orri Ninomiya & da Motta, 1982 Conus cacao Ferrario, 1983 Conus dealbatus A. Adams, 1855 (nomen dubium) Conus lamarckii Kiener, 1845 Conus orri da Motta, 1982 Conus reticularis Bory de Saint Vincent, 1827 Conus senegalensis (Gulden, Moolenbeek & Goud, 2017) Cucullus aurelius Röding, 1798 Lautoconus (Lautoconus) stimpsonorum Cossignani & Allary, 2019 Lautoconus cacao (Ferrario, 1983) Lautoconus fernandi Petuch & Berschauer, 2018 Lautoconus gambiensis Petuch & Berschauer, 2018 Lautoconus lamarckii (Kiener, 1847) Lautoconus mercator (Linnaeus, 1758) Lautoconus orri (Ninomiya & da Motta, 1982) Lautoconus rikae Petuch & Berschauer, 2018 (original combination) Lautoconus senegalensis Gulden, Moolenbeek & Goud, 2017 Lautoconus stimpsonorum Cossignani & Allary, 2019 (original combination) Varioconus mercator (Linnaeus, 1758)· accepted, alternate representation

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The Trader Cone (scientific name: Conus mercator) is a type of sea snail. It's a marine gastropod, which means it's a snail that lives in the ocean. This snail belongs to the Conidae family, also known as the cone snails.

Just like other cone snails, the Trader Cone is a predatory animal. This means it hunts and eats other creatures. It is also venomous, so it can "sting" humans. Because of this, it's very important to be careful around live Trader Cones. It's best not to touch them at all.

About the Trader Cone Shell

The shell of the Trader Cone snail can be anywhere from about 20 millimeters (less than an inch) to 55 millimeters (about 2 inches) long. Its shell is usually yellowish or ash-gray. It often has faint lines running lengthwise that are a chestnut brown color.

The shell also has two main bands of white. One wide band is near the top, at the "shoulder" of the shell. A narrower band is in the middle. These white bands have a pattern that looks like a net, made of closely connected chestnut brown lines.

Where Trader Cones Live

You can find the Trader Cone snail in the Atlantic Ocean. Specifically, it lives off the coast of Senegal, a country in West Africa.

Gallery

Below are several color forms:

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758

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  Conus mercator Linnaeus, C., 1758