{{Short description|Species of sea snail}} {{Speciesbox | taxon = Conus litteratus | image = Conusliteratus.jpg | image_caption = Two views of a shell of ''Conus litteratus'' | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref =<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Duda, T. |date=2013 |title=''Conus litteratus'' |volume=2013 |article-number=e.T192719A2148620 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T192719A2148620.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> | authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | synonyms_ref = <ref name="WoRMS" /> | synonyms = * ''Conus (Elisaconus) litteratus'' <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small> · accepted, alternate representation * ''Conus arabicus'' <small>Lamarck, 1810</small> * ''Conus grueneri'' <small>Reeve, 1844</small> * ''Cucullus pardus'' <small>Röding, 1798</small> * ''Elisaconus litteratus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> * ''Strategoconus litteratus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> | display_parents = 3 }}
'''''Conus litteratus''''', common name the '''lettered cone''', is a species of sophisticated predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snail, cone shells or cones.<ref name="WoRMS">Bouchet, P. (2015). Conus litteratus Linnaeus, 1758. In: MolluscaBase (2015). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=215522 on 2015-10-21</ref>
Like all species within the genus ''Conus'', these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of stinging humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.
==Description== The size of the shell varies between 24 mm and 186 mm. The thick, heavy shell has a flat spire. Its color is cream with 2-3 axial bands of yellow or orange bands dotted with black.
==Habitat== It can be found in sand in and among coral in shallow water.
==Distribution== This is a widespread Indo-Pacific species, occurring in the Indian Ocean off Tanzania, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin. thumb|left|Apical view of a shell of ''Conus litteratus''
==Life habits== This cone species hunts and eats marine worms.
==References== {{Reflist}} * [http://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/no_cache/dms/load/toc/?IDDOC=265100 Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae. ii, 824 pp] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613040751/http://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/no_cache/dms/load/toc/?IDDOC=265100 |date=2017-06-13 }} * [https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyu055 Puillandre N., Duda T.F., Meyer C., Olivera B.M. & Bouchet P. (2015). ''One, four or 100 genera? A new classification of the cone snails.'' Journal of Molluscan Studies. 81: 1-23]
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Conus litteratus 1.jpg|102 mm, Australia File:Conus litteratus 2.jpg|69.4 mm, Philippines File:Conus litteratus 3.jpg|92.6 mm, Philippines </gallery>
==External links== {{Commons category|Conus litteratus}} * ''[http://www.coneshell.net/pages/c_litteratus.htm Conus litteratus Picture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110414143306/http://www.coneshell.net/pages/c_litteratus.htm |date=2011-04-14 }}'' - An image of this species * ''[http://biology.burke.washington.edu/conus/recordview/record.php?ID=1619ll&tabs=21111111&frms=1&res=&pglimit=L Conus litteratus]'' - Information on this species * [http://www.coneshells-am.ru/ Cone Shells - Knights of the Sea] * {{Gastropods.com|key=3|id=663|title=''Strategoconus litteratus''|access-date=16 January 2019}}
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litteratus Category:Gastropods described in 1758 Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus