The Cone Snail

The Distorted Anus

Linnaeus, 1758

This is a shell that has a somewhat unusual name, but looking at the mouth of the shell makes it quite clear how Linnaeus got the idea for giving this species such an off-color scientific designation. This belongs to a large group of shells that generally eat echinoderms, although relatively little is known about their specific biology. This particular species is found in rather shallow water, usually under coral.

Classification