The Cone Snail

Circumcision Cone

The shell of this Conus species was once a very rare and highly prized by shell collectors when Dutch traders first brought it to Europe. The species lives in relatively deep water, and therefore was only very rarely found washed ashore. In recent years however, fishermen have used deep-water nets and other methods to collect the shells. In some localities, Conus circumcisus occurs in schools at depths greater than 50m and can be collected in fairly large numbers.

            This species is a fish-hunting cone snail that immobilizes prey with a complex and powerful venom. It belongs in the same subgroup of cone snails as Conus magus, the magicians’ cone.

Classification