Princely Cone

Conus aulicus, common name the princely cone, is a species of a predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones.

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 65 mm and 163 mm. The shell is rather narrow and has an elevated spire. The color of the shell is chocolate-brown, covered by elevated close revolving lines of darker color. The surface is irregularly overlaid by subtriangular white spots, some of which are very large. The operculum is a very minute square on the dorsal surface of the hinder part of the foot.

The proboscis of Conus aulicus is varied with red and white.

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Indian Ocean off Chagos and Mauritius; in the Indo-Pacific Region (excl. Hawaii).