Feathered Cone

Conus pennaceus is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.

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.

Subspecies

• Conus pennaceus pennaceus Born, 1778
• Conus pennaceus pseudoecho (Bozzetti, 2013)
• Conus pennaceus vezoi Korn, Niederhöfer & Blöcher, 2000
• Conus pennaceus behelokensis Lauer, 1989: now considered to be a synonym of Conus behelokensis Lauer, 1989
• Conus pennaceus echo Lauer, 1988: now considered to be a synonym of Conus echo Lauer, 1989

Description

The size of an adult shell varies between 35 mm and 88 mm. The color of the shell varies from orange-brown to chocolate, covered by minute white spots, and overlaid by larger white triangular spots, sometimes forming bands at the shoulder, middle and base.

Distribution

This species occurs in the Red Sea, in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin and Tanzania; off Thailand, Hawaii and Australia (Western Australia).