Conus miles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conus miles |
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The Conus miles, also known as the soldier cone, is a type of sea snail. It's a marine gastropod mollusk that belongs to the Conidae family, which includes all the cone snails.
Just like other cone snails, the soldier cone is a predatory animal, meaning it hunts other creatures for food. These snails are also venomous. This means they can "sting" humans, so it's very important to be careful and avoid touching them if you ever see one alive.
What Does the Soldier Cone Look Like?
The shell of an adult soldier cone can be anywhere from about 50 mm (2 inches) to 136 mm (over 5 inches) long. The top part of its shell, called the spire, can be a bit bumpy or smooth, and it's usually a bit flat.
The shell is quite thick and has bumpy "shoulders" where the spirals (called whorls) meet. The main part of the shell, known as the body whorl, has a wide shoulder and spiral ridges near its bottom.
Its thick shell is usually yellowish-white or light orange. It has thin, wavy, brown lines running up and down. There's also a chocolate-colored band that goes around the middle of the shell. The very bottom of the shell is often stained chocolate brown, with lighter bands above it. The opening of the shell, called the aperture, has bands of chocolate brown and white.
Where Do Soldier Cones Live?
You can find the soldier cone in many parts of the Indo-Pacific ocean. This includes places like Aldabra, Chagos, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin, Mauritius, Mozambique, the Red Sea, and Tanzania. They are also found off the coast of Australia, in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia.
Gallery
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A soldier cone shell
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Another view of the Conus miles shell
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Close-up of a soldier cone shell
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Different angle of the Conus miles
