Coninae
Encyclopedia
Coninae, common name
s the cone snails, cone shells or cones is a subfamily
of small to quite large sea snail
s, marine
gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae.
These are sophisticated predatory animals. They hunt and immobilize prey using a modified radula
r tooth along with a poison gland containing neurotoxin
s; the tooth is launched out of the snail's mouth in a harpoon
-like action.
for the species
in the subfamily Coninae include the following genera:
These genera are recognized by World Register of Marine Species
as an "alternative representation", as currently (2011) many taxonomists still prefer to use the traditional classification, such that all species within this subfamily are in the Linnaean
genus Conus
.
. In 2009 however, J.K. Tucker and M.J. Tenorio proposed a classification system for the over 600 recognized species
that were in the family. Their classification proposed 3 distinct families and 82 genera for the living species of cone snails. This classification was based upon shell
morphology
, radular
differences, anatomy
, physiology
, cladistics
, with comparisons to molecular (DNA) studies. Published accounts of genera within the Conidae that include the various genera include J.K. Tucker & M.J. Tenorio (2009), and Bouchet et al. (2011).
Testing in order to try to understand the molecular phylogeny
of the Conidae was initially begun by Christopher Meyer and Alan Kohn, and is continuing, particularly with the advent of nuclear DNA testing in addition to mDNA testing.
However, in 2011, some experts still prefer to use the traditional classification, where all species are placed in Conus
within the single family Conidae: for example, according to the current November 2011 version of the World Register of Marine Species
, all species within the family Conidae are in the genus Conus
. The binomial names of species in the 82 cone snail genera listed in Tucker & Tenorio 2009 are recognized by the World Register of Marine Species
as "alternative representations." Debate within the scientific community regarding this issue continues, and additional molecular phylogeny
studies are being carried out in an attempt to clarify the issue.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
s the cone snails, cone shells or cones is a subfamily
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of small to quite large sea snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
s, marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae.
These are sophisticated predatory animals. They hunt and immobilize prey using a modified radula
Radula
The radula is an anatomical structure that is used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared rather inaccurately to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters the esophagus...
r tooth along with a poison gland containing neurotoxin
Neurotoxin
A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells , usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels. Some sources are more general, and define the effect of neurotoxins as occurring at nerve tissue...
s; the tooth is launched out of the snail's mouth in a harpoon
Harpoon
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch the animal...
-like action.
2009 Taxonomy
J.K. Tucker and M.J. Tenorio's 2009 proposed classification system of generaGenera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
for the species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in the subfamily Coninae include the following genera:
- AfriconusAfriconusAfriconus is a proposed genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. This genus currently is still treated by some experts as an "alternative representation" of this group of species.When the "alternative representations" are not used,...
- AsprellaAsprellaAsprella is a proposed genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. This genus currently is still treated by some experts as an "alternative representation" of this group of species.When the "alternative representations" are not used,...
- AustroconusAustroconusAustroconus is a proposed genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. This genus currently is still treated by some experts as an "alternative representation" of this group of species.When the "alternative representations" are not used,...
- CalamiconusCalamiconusCalamiconus is a proposed genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. This genus currently is still treated by some experts as an "alternative representation" of this group of species.When the "alternative representations" are not used,...
- CalibanusCalibanus (gastropod)Calibanus is a proposed genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. This genus currently is still treated by some experts as an "alternative representation" of this group of species.When the "alternative representations" are not used,...
- ConasprelloidesConasprelloidesConasprelloides is a proposed genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. This genus currently is still treated by some experts as an "alternative representation" of this group of species.When the "alternative representations" are not...
- ConusConusConus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
Linnaeus, 1758 - Cornutoconus Suzuki, 1972
- Cylinder
- Darioconus
- Dendroconus
- Ductoconus
- Dyraspis
- Endemoconus
- Eremiconus
- Eugeniconus
- Floraconus
- Gastridium
- Genuanoconus
- Gladioconus
- Harmoniconus
- Hermes
- JaspidiconusJaspidiconusJaspidiconus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.-Species:Species within the genus Jaspidiconus include:* Jaspidiconus pfluegeri Petuch, 2004...
Petuch, 2004 - Kalloconus
- Ketyconus
- Kioconus
- Kurodaconus Shikama & Habe, 1968
- Lamniconus
- Lautoconus
- Leporiconus
- Leptoconus
- Lindaconus
- Lithoconus
- Lividoconus
- Miliariconus
- Monteiroconus
- Nataliconus
- Parviconus Cotton & Godfrey, 1932
- Phasmoconus
- Pionoconus
- Plicaustraconus
- Protostrioconus
- PseudoconorbisPseudoconorbisPseudoconorbis is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.-Species:Species within the genus Pseudoconorbis include:* Pseudoconorbis coromandelicus...
Tucker & Tenorio, 2009 - Puncticulis
- Purpuriconus
- Pyruconus
- Rhizoconus
- Rolaniconus
- Sciteconus
- Seminoleconus
- Stellaconus
- Strategoconus
- Trovaoconus
- Turriconus
- Varioconus
- Vituliconus
- Virgiconus
- Virroconus
These genera are recognized by World Register of Marine Species
World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species is a database that hopes to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialists on each group of organism. These taxonomists control the quality of the...
as an "alternative representation", as currently (2011) many taxonomists still prefer to use the traditional classification, such that all species within this subfamily are in the Linnaean
Linnaean
Linnaean can refer to:*Carolus Linnaeus*Linnaean taxonomy*Linnaean enterprise*Linnean...
genus Conus
Conus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
.
Significance of "alternative representation"
Prior to 2009, all species within the family Conidae were placed in one genus ConusConus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
. In 2009 however, J.K. Tucker and M.J. Tenorio proposed a classification system for the over 600 recognized species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
that were in the family. Their classification proposed 3 distinct families and 82 genera for the living species of cone snails. This classification was based upon shell
Gastropod shell
The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...
morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, radular
Radula
The radula is an anatomical structure that is used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared rather inaccurately to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food enters the esophagus...
differences, anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
, cladistics
Cladistics
Cladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades, which consist of an ancestor organism and all its descendants . For example, birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles, and all descendants of their most recent common ancestor form a clade...
, with comparisons to molecular (DNA) studies. Published accounts of genera within the Conidae that include the various genera include J.K. Tucker & M.J. Tenorio (2009), and Bouchet et al. (2011).
Testing in order to try to understand the molecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogenetics is the analysis of hereditary molecular differences, mainly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree...
of the Conidae was initially begun by Christopher Meyer and Alan Kohn, and is continuing, particularly with the advent of nuclear DNA testing in addition to mDNA testing.
However, in 2011, some experts still prefer to use the traditional classification, where all species are placed in Conus
Conus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
within the single family Conidae: for example, according to the current November 2011 version of the World Register of Marine Species
World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species is a database that hopes to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialists on each group of organism. These taxonomists control the quality of the...
, all species within the family Conidae are in the genus Conus
Conus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
. The binomial names of species in the 82 cone snail genera listed in Tucker & Tenorio 2009 are recognized by the World Register of Marine Species
World Register of Marine Species
The World Register of Marine Species is a database that hopes to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialists on each group of organism. These taxonomists control the quality of the...
as "alternative representations." Debate within the scientific community regarding this issue continues, and additional molecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogenetics is the analysis of hereditary molecular differences, mainly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree...
studies are being carried out in an attempt to clarify the issue.