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Conus textile Linnaeus, 1758
| Family Name: | Conidae |
| Taxonomic Group: | Invertebrates (Mollusc) |
| Common Name: | Textile Cone |
Name
Ecology, Habitat & Location
| Ecological Notes | Coral reefs. Shelters during the day, and emerges at night to hunt prey which they immobilise with a harpoon-like tooth. Venomous. |
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| Habitats | Coral Reef, Marine |
| Distribution | Indo-Pacific. |
Conservation
| Trends & Threats | Habitat degradation; collection for marine curio trade. |
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| Scientific Interest & Potential Value | Shell trade. Interesting feeding mechanism with powerful toxin. Has been used in studies of the geometry of pigment desposition in the shell. |
| Conservation Notes | Present in coral reef areas up till the 1970s but now extremely rare. Sites of occurrence need to be identified, some need to be designated as nature areas or marine protected areas, and legislation to protect marine life from over-collecting needs to be instituted. |
Status
| Singapore Red Data Book Status | Vulnerable (VU) [2008] |
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Photos
References
| References | Davison, G.W.H., Ng, P.K.L. & Ho, H.C (Eds.). 2008. The Singapore Red Data Book (2nd Edition). Singapore: Nature Society (Singapore). 285pp |
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