Conasprella mazei

Conasprella mazei, common name Maze's cone, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails, cone shells or cones.[1]

Conasprella mazei
Shell of Conasprella mazei (specimen at MNHN, Paris)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Superfamily: Conoidea
Family: Conidae
Genus: Conasprella
Species:
C. mazei
Binomial name
Conasprella mazei
Deshayes, 1874
Synonyms[1]
  • Conasprella (Dalliconus) mazei (Deshayes, 1874) · accepted, alternate representation
  • Conus mazei Deshayes, 1874 (original combination)
  • Dalliconus mazei (Deshayes, 1874)

Like all species within the genus Conasprella, these cone snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.

Description

Conasprella mazei is a very consistent species, displaying little variation throughout its range. The shell of this species is very elongate with an unusually high spire. The shell color is whitish with brown dot markings that can be almost square in shape.

The maximum recorded shell length is 59 mm.[2]

Distribution

This is a western Atlantic species, also occurring in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat

This is a deepwater species. The minimum recorded depth is 152 m., and the maximum recorded depth is 549 m.[2]

References
  1. Bouchet, P. (2015). Conasprella mazei (Deshayes, 1874). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=835315 on 2015-03-15
  2. Welch J. J. (2010). "The "Island Rule" and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.


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