Edaphus Cone Shell, Conus edaphus
Edaphus Cone Shell, Conus edaphus. Shell collected off the beach in the greater Los Barilles area, Baja California Sur, March 2023. Size: 1.9 cm (0.8 inches) x 1.2 cm (0.5 inches). Collection courtesy of Mark and Becky Fontenont, Las Barilles. Photograph and Identification courtesy of Colin Campbell, DVM, Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur.
Edaphus Cone Shell, Conus edaphus. Shell collected off the beach in the greater Los Barilles area, Baja California Sur, March 2023. Size: 2.9 cm (1.2 inches) x 1.8 cm (0.7 inches). Collection courtesy of Mark and Becky Fontenont, Las Barilles. Photograph and Identification courtesy of Colin Campbell, DVM, Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur.
Phylogeny: The Edaphus Cone, Conus edaphus (Dahl, 1910), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Conidae Family of Cone Shells. The genus Conus 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 a Cuadro.
Description: The Edaphus Cone Shell is small, short and solid, with a short, pointed, spire. They have rounded shoulders and slightly convex sides. They are composed of two and a half translucent whitish whorls and a dimple at the apex. They have eight and one-half whorls of which the first five have irregular shoulders and are obscurely, minutely beaded. The fasciole between the shoulder and the suture behind it is depressed, with two strong spiral sulci running in it and small interspaces. The aperture is narrow, parallel-sided and the outer lip is straight with the anterior and posterior sinuses being moderately deep. Overall they are white to light yellow in color with rectangular dark yellow to brownish orange blotches that spiral down the body whorl. The interior of the aperture is a rosy white and the region around the canal is a deep rose color. Edaphus Cone Shells reach a maximum of 8.2 cm (3.2 inches) in length and 5.7 cm (2.3 inches) in height. The Edaphus Cone Shell is very similar to and easily confused with the Tesselated Cone Shell, Conus tessulatus (smaller blotches, wider profile).
Habitat and Distribution: Edaphus Cone Shells are found within sand and gravel substrates, in the intertidal zone, and to depths up to 78 m (225 feet). They are a tropical Indo-Pacific and Pacific species. In Mexican waters they are uncommon, and their range is poorly documented. Some sources state that they are found along the entire Pacific coast, except for the west coast of the Baja Peninsula. They are thought to range throughout the Gulf of California.
Ecology and Behavior: Edaphus Cone Shells are predators that feed primarily on worms, mollusks, fish, and other cone snails. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. The eggs are laid in protective capsules. There is no mention in the available literature of them engaging in any types of parasitic, commensal, or symbiotic relationships. From a conservation perspective they have not been formally evaluated however they are fairly common with a very wide distribution and should be consider to be of Least Concern. Edaphus Cone Shells are venomous and capable of stinging humans. If they must be handled, they should be handled with great care.
Synonyms: Conus (Tesselliconus) edaphus, Lithoconus edaphus, and Tesselliconus edaphus.