Conus virgatus, common name the virgate Panama cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.[1]

Conus virgatus
shell of Conus virgatus, specimen at the Smithsonian Institution
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conidae
Genus: Conus
Species:
C. virgatus
Binomial name
Conus virgatus
Reeve, 1849
Synonyms[1]
  • Conus (Dauciconus) virgatus Reeve, 1849 · accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus cumingii Reeve, 1849 (invalid: junior homonym of Conus cumingii Reeve, 1848)
  • Conus signae Bartsch, 1937
  • Dauciconus virgatus (Reeve, 1849)

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.

Description

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The size of the shell varies between 35 mm and 70 mm. The rather narrow shell is pinkish white, continuously but irregularly longitudinally strigate with chestnut.[2]

Distribution

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This marine species occurs in the Pacific Ocean from Baja California, Mexico to North Peru.

References

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  • Tucker J.K. & Tenorio M.J. (2013) Illustrated catalog of the living cone shells. 517 pp. Wellington, Florida: MdM Publishing.
  • Puillandre, N.; Duda, T.F.; Meyer, C.; Olivera, B.M.; Bouchet, P. (2015). "One, four or 100 genera? A new classification of the cone snails". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 81 (1): 1–23. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyu055. PMC 4541476. PMID 26300576.
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