Description

• The nut cone (Conus nux) is a small marine gastropod in the family Conidae. Its sturdy, cone-shaped shell has a low, stepped spire and a broad body whorl with fine spiral grooves, particularly near the base. The shell is typically whitish to pale tan, with irregular chestnut-brown mottling and markings that may form indistinct spiral bands. The aperture is narrow and elongated, with a violet or purplish tint near the base. Adults generally measure about 10–26 mm long. Like other cone snails, it possesses a venomous, harpoon-like tooth and should not be handled alive.

Range

• This species occurs in the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California and western Mexico south through Central America to Ecuador and northern Peru, including several offshore islands such as the Galápagos. It is present along the Pacific coast of Mexico, including Zihuatanejo, Guerrero.

Habitat

• The nut cone inhabits shallow coastal waters, generally on sandy or mixed sand-and-rock substrates in the intertidal and shallow subtidal zones. It may shelter beneath rocks or partially bury itself in sand, and is found at depths of approximately 10 m or less.

Diet

• Conus nux is a worm-hunting predator that feeds primarily on polychaete bristle worms. It uses a modified, venomous radular tooth to inject toxins into its prey, immobilising the worm before swallowing it. Studies in the Sea of Cortez found that polychaete worms make up the main component of its diet.