Description

• The purple cone (Conus purpurascens) is a marine gastropod in the family Conidae. Its sturdy, broad-shouldered, cone-shaped shell has a moderately elevated, blunt spire and a thick, rough outer covering called the periostracum. Shell colour varies from light purple and violet to dark brown or olive, often with irregular mottling, fine spiral lines, and contrasting white or pale-violet bands. The aperture is elongated and typically greyish-blue to purple. Adults commonly measure 33–80 mm in length. Like other cone snails, it has a venomous, harpoon-like tooth and should not be handled alive.

Range

• This species is native to the tropical and subtropical eastern Pacific, ranging from Baja California and the Gulf of California south along the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America to Peru, including the Galápagos Islands. It occurs along the coast of Guerrero, including Zihuatanejo, Mexico.

Habitat

• The purple cone inhabits shallow coastal waters, from rocky intertidal shores and tide pools to subtidal reefs at depths of approximately 15 m. It shelters beneath rocks and ledges and also occurs on sandy or mixed substrates near rocky areas, sometimes among algae.

Diet

• Conus purpurascens is a specialised predator that feeds primarily on small fish. It uses a modified, venomous radular tooth to inject toxins into its prey, rapidly immobilising the fish before swallowing it whole.