Venomous Cones

[paul monfils]

Hi.  Yes, Conus geographus is the most dangerous species, mainly because of its large size rather than the virulence of its venom.  Just like snakes, all else being equal, a larger one is more dangerous than a smaller one because more venom is injected in one bite/sting.  Next in line are C. striatus and C. textile.  The dangerous cones are those with a wide aperture.  These species prey on fish.  The wide aperture allows them to swallow the fish whole, and a potent venom and large poison dart are necessary to subdue such relatively large and active prey quickly.  Cones with a narrow aperture generally feed on worms, small molluscs and other small invertebrates, which don't require a highly toxic venom or a large dart to kill them.  Conus tulipa is also a fish eater, but is less dangerous because of its smaller size.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2009-11-03 01:34:18 --</span>