Conus textile
Conus textile, commonly known as the textile cone or cloth of gold cone, is a venomous species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae.[1] It is characterized by a glossy, heavy shell typically 9–10 cm in length, with a maximum of 15 cm, featuring a moderately high spire with a pointed apex, straight or slightly concave sides, and a distinctive pattern of white or bluish-white background overlaid with irregular brown or yellowish bands and triangular markings, resembling fine textile weave.[1][2] This species inhabits shallow, sandy or rubbly bottoms under rocks, coral slabs, and boulders in the lower intertidal and subtidal zones, primarily in the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and eastern Africa through the Indian Ocean to Australia, Japan, Hawaii, and French Polynesia.[1][2][3] As a molluscivore, C. textile preys on other gastropods and bivalves, employing a harpoon-like radular tooth to inject venom that rapidly immobilizes its targets; it exhibits cannibalistic behavior when prey is scarce.[2] The venom, composed of a complex cocktail of peptide toxins known as conotoxins, is among the most potent of cone snails and poses a significant risk to humans, with envenomations causing severe pain, paralysis, and potentially fatal respiratory failure if untreated.[2][1] Despite this danger, conotoxins from C. textile have garnered attention in medical research for their potential as analgesics and tools to study ion channels, with specific components like cono-RFamide targeting acid-sensing ion channels and others demonstrating pain-relieving effects in experimental models.[4][5] Currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (as of 2011) due to its wide distribution and lack of major threats, C. textile reproduces by laying egg capsules containing 500–700 eggs under rocks, with veliger larvae spending about 16 days in the plankton before settling.[3] However, localized collection for shells and curios may impact populations in accessible areas, underscoring the need for caution in handling live specimens.[1][2]Taxonomy
Synonyms
The species Conus textile was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae (10th edition), establishing the binomial name based on specimens from the Indo-Pacific region.[6][7] Over the subsequent centuries, numerous synonyms were proposed, largely owing to the pronounced intraspecific variation in shell coloration, patterning, and sculpture, which early malacologists interpreted as distinct taxa or regional forms.[6] Taxonomic revisions, drawing on detailed comparative morphology and, more recently, molecular analyses, have consolidated these names under C. textile by demonstrating that the differences represent phenotypic plasticity rather than species-level divergence.[6][8] Key historical synonyms, including junior subjective synonyms and alternative representations, are listed below, with attribution to their original descriptions and notes on the basis for synonymy where documented in authoritative catalogs.[6][9]- Conus (Cylinder) textile Linnaeus, 1758: Alternative representation incorporating the subgenus Cylinder Montfort, 1810, reflecting early subgeneric groupings based on shell shape; accepted as the valid name without the parenthetical subgenus in modern usage.[6][10]
- Conus communis Swainson, 1840: Described from Indo-Pacific material showing uniform patterning; later reclassified as a synonym upon recognition of shared radular and anatomical features with C. textile.[6][11]
- Conus corbula G. B. Sowerby II, 1858: Based on small, reticulated shells; determined to be a junior subjective synonym through comparative studies of type material revealing no diagnostic differences.[6]
- Conus dilectus A. A. Gould, 1850: Erected for variants with fine lattice patterns; synonymized following revisions that attributed variations to environmental influences rather than taxonomic distinction.[6]
- Conus cholmondeleyi Melvill, 1900: Named for specimens with bold, interwoven markings from the Indian Ocean; accepted as a junior subjective synonym after morphological reexamination showed conspecificity.[6][12]
- Conus estellae T. Cossignani, 2020: Recent proposal for color variants; rapidly synonymized as infraspecific based on genetic and shell data aligning with C. textile.[6]
- Conus vezzarochristophei T. Cossignani, 2018: Described from patterned forms; classified as a junior subjective synonym due to insufficient differentiating traits.[6]
- Darioconus osullivani Iredale, 1931: Australian variant with subdued colors; synonymized upon broader phylogenetic assessments.[6]
- Darioconus textilis osullivani Iredale, 1931: Subspecific name for the same material; treated equivalently as a synonym.[6]