| Conus imperialis | |
|---|---|
| Conus imperialis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda |
| Superfamily: | Conoidea |
| Family: | Conidae |
| Subfamily: | Coninae |
| Genus: | Conus |
| Species: | C. imperialis |
| Binomial name | |
| Conus imperialis Linnaeus, 1758 [1] |
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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Conus imperialis, common name the imperial cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.[2]
Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.
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The size of an adult shell varies between 40 mm and 110 mm. The color of the shell is yellowish white, with numerous interrupted revolving lines and spots of dark brown and two irregular light brown bands. In the synonym Conus fuscatus, the light brown coloring extends in clouds and irregular markings over the surface, so that the bands can scarcely be defined. [3]
This species occurs in the Indian Ocean along Aldabra, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin and Mauritius; in the entire Pacific Ocean.