Conus nanus

Harmoniconus nanus
Apertural view of Harmoniconus nanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
(unranked):	clade Caenogastropoda clade Hypsogastropoda clade Neogastropoda
Superfamily:	Conoidea
Family:	Conidae
Subfamily:	Coninae
Genus:	Harmoniconus
Species:	H. nanus
Binomial name
Harmoniconus nanus G.B. Sowerby I & G.B. Sowerby II, 1833 [1]
Synonyms[2]
Harmoniconus nanus (G.B. Sowerby I, 1833)

Harmoniconus nanus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.^[2]

These snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 12 mm and 34 mm. The shell is coronated, with a rather depressed spire, granular striae towards the base. The color of the shell is white, under a thin, light yellowish brown epidermis, obsoletely maculated or occasionally spotted with chestnut. The base is violaceous. ^[3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Indian Ocean along the Mascarene Basin; in the Indo-Pacific Region (Polynesia, Australia)

References

1. ^ Sowerby (II), G. B. Jr., 1833. The Conchological Illustrations.
2. ^ ^{a b} Conus nanus G.B. Sowerby I & G.B. Sowerby II, 1833.  Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=215452 on 2 August 2011.
3. ^ George Washington Tryon, Manual of Conchology vol. VI, p. 24; 1884

• Filmer R.M. (2001). A Catalogue of Nomenclature and Taxonomy in the Living Conidae 1758 - 1998. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. 388pp.
• Tucker J.K. (2009). Recent cone species database. September 4th 2009 Edition
• Tucker J.K. & Tenorio M.J. (2009) Systematic classification of Recent and fossil conoidean gastropods. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 296 pp.

External links

• The Conus Biodiversity website
• Gastropods.com: Harmoniconus nanus; accessed: 2 August 2011