Cone Snail
The Cool Little Dude (by Josip Rados, period 3)
The Cone Snails Habitat
Mid-Littoral Zone (area between low and high tide)! Coral reefs, mangroves, and in sand are its habitat.
Daily Changes
The Cone Snail has to deal with desiccation when the water retreats so it clams up and saves moisture to prevent from drying out. Most likely though, it will just move to the low tide. Its shell is used to protect it from the rapid temperature changes because the shell will reflect heat. When It does all this though, the snails eating is interrupted and it has to wait for the water to come back. The snail will bury itself when the waves are too strong to stop it from floating away and onto shore. The Cone Snail has fully intact gills so it lives underwater.
Adaptions of the Cone Snail
The shape of their shell. Their poisonous "harpoon" or radula. They release sedatives into the water to sedate fish then paralyze them with the radula. Pointy shell helps dig into sand and protect against waves. The Radula is filled with venom that paralyzes fish instantly.
How Does It Move, Dude?
Long muscle on the bottom called Foot. Foot extends out and contracts to pull the snail forward.
How Does It Eat, Bro?
Well Bro's, It paralyzes prey then sucks it up with its large cone mouth.
What Does It Eat, Man?
Cone Snail is carnivorous and eats small fish and worms.
What Eats This Little Guy?
Octupi, Crabs, Lobsters, Sea Birds, and People.
Unusual Information
Unlike most snails, cone snails are not hermaphrodites. There are males and females and they come together once a year to mate! Most snails don't have gills so it's wierd to see one that does in the ITZ.
Citations
Ashley Chadwick, . N.p.. Web. 10 Mar 2014. <http://www.theconesnail.com/>.
Kayla Haas,. Np.. Web. 10 mar 2014. Conus Magnus. <http://www.bioweb.uwlax.edu/>.