CONE SHELL


Meaning of CONE SHELL in English

any of several marine snails of the subclass Prosobranchia (class Gastropoda) comprising the genus Conus and the family Conidae. The shell is typically straight-sided, with a tapering body whorl, low spire, and narrow aperture (the opening into the shell's first whorl). Cones inject a paralyzing toxin by means of a dart; a few of the larger species have fatally stung humans. The usual prey is worms and mollusks; a few capture fish. Most species occur in the Indo-Pacific region. The most valuable shell in the worldfewer than 100 specimens are knownis found on the glory-of-the-seas cone (C. gloriamaris) of the Philippines and Indonesia; 10 to 13 cm long, it is golden brown, with a fine net pattern.

Britannica English vocabulary.      Английский словарь Британика.