Ribboned Cone Shell, Conus vittatus

Ribboned Cone Shell, Conus vittatus. Shell collected off the beach at Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur, April 2022. Size: 4.8 cm (1.9 inches) x 2.9 cm (1.1 inches). Collection, photograph and Identification courtesy of Colin Campbell, DVM, Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur.

Phylogeny: The Ribboned Cone Shell, Conus vittatus (Hwass, C.H., 1792), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Conidae Family of Cone Shells. The Conus genus is one of eight genera in this family, and there are eight hundred ten species in this genus. They are known in Mexico as Cono Ceñido. The species name vittatus comes from the Latin word for belted or banded, referring to the central band around this shell.

Description: Ribboned Cone Shells are narrow, with a rounded shoulder, and a slightly convex spire. The shell is sculpted with fine spiral threads. The shell comes in a variety of colors including orange, lilac, and light brown, with fine brown spiral lines. They have a central band that may be white with brown spots and blotches or brown with white spots and blotches. The spire is marked with wavy brown markings. The aperture is white. They have a thick, rough periostracum. Ribboned Cones Shells reach a maximum of 5.0 cm (2.0 inches) in length.

Habitat and Distribution: Ribboned Cones are found on sand, stones, and under rocks. They live in the intertidal zone, and to depths up to 30 m (100 feet). They are a subtropical to tropical Eastern Pacific species that are found in all Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean with the exception that they are absent from the west coast of the Baja Peninsula and from south of Santa Rosalia, Baja California, and Guaymas, Sonora, in  the Sea of Cortez.

Ecology and Behavior: Ribboned Cone Shells are a poorly studied and understood species. There is very limited documentation of their diet, predation, reproduction or ecosystem interactions. Other species in the Familly Conidae are predators that feed primarily on fish, other gastopods, molluscs and worms. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. The eggs are laid in protective capsules. Their engagement in any type of commensal, parasitic, or symbiotic relationship has not been formally documented. From a conservation perspective the Ribboned Cone Shell is currently considered to be of Least Concern, with stable, widely distributed populations.  Ribboned Cone Shells are venomous and capable of stinging human and should be handled with great care if live organisms are present. They are a minor component of shell trade collector market.

Synonyms: Conus (Dauciconus) vittatus, Conus reevei, Poremskiconus vittatus and Purpuriconus vittatus.