Conus tulipa

Species of sea snail

Conus tulipa, common name the tulip cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.^[1]

Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of "stinging" humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully.

A class of conopeptides named rho-TIA was discovered in Conus tulipa in 2001.^[2] This class of conopeptides targets (react with) alpha1-adrenergic receptors.^[2]

Description

The size of the shell varies between 45 mm and 95 mm. The shell is variegated with violet and white, clouded with chestnut, with numerous revolving rows of minute chestnut and white articulations. The interior of the aperture is violaceous.^[3]

Conantokin-T is a toxin derived from the venom of Conus tulipa.

Distribution

The marine species occurs in the Indo-Western Pacific.

• Madagascar^[1]
• Mauritius^[1]
• Tanzania^[1]
• India
• the Philippines
• Queensland (Australia)

Feeding habits

Conus tulipa preys on fishes.^[2]

• 
  Conus tulipa Linnaeus, C., 1758
• 
  Conus tulipa Linnaeus, C., 1758
• 
  Conus tulipa Linnaeus, C., 1758

References

1. Conus tulipa Linnaeus, 1758. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 27 March 2010.
2. Sharpe, I. A.; Gehrmann, J.; Loughnan, M. L.; Thomas, L.; Adams, D. A.; Atkins, A.; Palant, E.; Craik, D. J.; Adams, D. J.; Alewood, P. F.; Lewis, R. J. (2001). "Two new classes of conopeptides inhibit the alpha1-adrenoceptor and noradrenaline transporter". Nature Neuroscience. 4 (9): 902–907. doi:10.1038/nn0901-902. PMID 11528421. S2CID 23799867.
3. G.W. Tryon (1884) Manual of Conchology, structural and systematic, with illustrations of the species, vol. VI; Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences

• Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae. ii, 824 pp Archived 13 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine
• Röding, P.F. 1798. Museum Boltenianum sive Catalogus cimeliorum e tribus regnis naturae quae olim collegerat Joa. Hamburg : Trappii 199 pp.
• Swainson, W. 1840. A Treatise on Malacology or the Natural Classification of Shells and Shell-fish. London : Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans 419 pp.
• Reeve, L.A. 1843. Monograph of the genus Conus. pls 1–39 in Reeve, L.A. (ed.). Conchologica Iconica. London : L. Reeve & Co. Vol. 1.
• Adams, H. 1868. Descriptions of some new species of shells collected by Geoffrey Nevill, Esq. at Mauritius, the Isle of Bourbon, and the Seychelles. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1868: 288–292, pl. 28
• Demond, J. 1957. Micronesian reef associated gastropods. Pacific Science 11(3): 275–341, fig. 2, pl. 1
• Gillett, K. & McNeill, F. 1959. The Great Barrier Reef and Adjacent Isles: a comprehensive survey for visitor, naturalist and photographer. Sydney : Coral Press 209 pp.
• Wilson, B.R. & Gillett, K. 1971. Australian Shells: illustrating and describing 600 species of marine gastropods found in Australian waters. Sydney : Reed Books 168 pp.
• Salvat, B. & Rives, C. 1975. Coquillages de Polynésie. Tahiti : Papéete Les editions du pacifique, pp. 1–391.
• Cernohorsky, W.O. 1978. Tropical Pacific Marine Shells. Sydney : Pacific Publications 352 pp., 68 pls.
• Wilson, B. 1994. Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 2 370 pp.
• Röckel, D., Korn, W. & Kohn, A.J. 1995. Manual of the Living Conidae. Volume 1: Indo-Pacific Region. Wiesbaden : Hemmen 517 pp.
• Puillandre, N.; Duda, T.F.; Meyer, C.; Olivera, B.M.; Bouchet, P. (2015). "One, four or 100 genera? A new classification of the cone snails". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 81 (1): 1–23. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyu055. PMC 4541476. PMID 26300576.

External links

• The Conus Biodiversity website
• Cone Shells - Knights of the Sea
• "Gastridium tulipa". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.