Conus mus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conus mus |
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The Conus mus, also known as the mouse cone, is a type of sea snail. It's a marine gastropod mollusk, which means it's a snail that lives in the ocean. This snail belongs to the Conidae family, often called the cone snails.
Just like other cone snails, the mouse cone is a predatory animal. This means it hunts other creatures for food. It is also venomous, so it can "sting" people. Because of this, it's very important to be careful around live mouse cones. It's best not to touch them at all!
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Where Does the Mouse Cone Live?
The mouse cone snail lives in shallow waters. You can find it in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It also lives along the western Atlantic Ocean. Its range stretches from North Carolina in the USA, past the Bermudas, all the way down to Venezuela. This includes many islands in the eastern Caribbean, like Barbados.
What Does the Mouse Cone Look Like?
The shell of the mouse cone can grow up to about 43.5 millimeters long. That's about 1.7 inches. The top part of the shell, called the spire, has small bumps on it. The main part of the shell, called the body whorl, has thin, raised lines that go around it.
The shell is usually a grayish-white color. It has brown streaks and spots. The bumps on the spire are white. You can often see a white band around the middle of the shell. The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is brown with a white band in the middle. Sometimes, very large mouse cone shells are found. These can be 50 to 60 millimeters long. However, these are quite rare.
Where Does the Mouse Cone Live in the Ocean?
The mouse cone lives in very shallow parts of the ocean. It can be found right at the surface (0 meters deep). It has also been found as deep as 18 meters (about 59 feet) underwater.
Gallery
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A different view of the Conus mus shell
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Another angle of the Conus mus shell
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A close-up of the Conus mus shell
