Description

• The prince cone (Conus princeps) is a marine gastropod in the family Conidae. Its solid, cone-shaped shell has a broad, straight-sided body whorl and a low, stepped spire with small rounded knobs. The shell is typically orange, pinkish-tan, or yellowish-brown, decorated with irregular dark-brown to nearly black wavy lines that extend lengthwise from the spire towards the base. The aperture is long and narrow, often with an orange or pinkish interior. Adults commonly measure 30–70 mm, although larger specimens can reach approximately 130 mm. Like other cone snails, it has 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 along the coasts of Central America to northern Peru, including the Galápagos Islands. It is present along the Pacific coast of Mexico, including Zihuatanejo, Guerrero.

Habitat

• The prince cone inhabits rocky intertidal and shallow subtidal environments, especially rocky surfaces covered with brown algae. It also occurs among rocks, beneath ledges, and on mixed substrates containing sand, shell fragments, and coral. It is found from the intertidal zone to depths of at least 35 m.

Diet

• Conus princeps is a venomous predator that feeds on other marine invertebrates, including worms, molluscs, and other cone snails. It uses a specialised, venom-injecting radular tooth to immobilise prey before swallowing it.