Prince Cone Shell, Conus princeps

Prince Cone Shell, Conus princeps. Shell collected off the beach in the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur,  November 2010. Size: 3.5 cm (1.4 inches) x 1.9 cm (0.7 inches).

Prince Cone, Conus princeps. Shell collected off the beach in the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur,  November 2010. Size: 5.9 cm (2.3 inches) x 4.0 cm (1.6 inches).

The Prince Cone, Conus princeps (Linnaeus, 1758), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Conidae Family of Cones. The shell is a gorgeous that is easily distinguishable by its coral, pink, or orange color.  They have low spires. The shell has a varying number of wavy dark brown or black lines running from the top of the shell, down the length of the shell that vary in thickness and length from shell to shell. The aperture is the same color as the shell, or a little lighter. They are covered with a thick brow, rough periostracum, to the point of being bristly. Prince Cone shells reach a maximum of 13.0 cm (5.1 inches) in length and 8.8 cm (3.5 inches) in height.

Prince Cones are found on and between rocks and under rock ledges in the intertidal zone to depths up to 30 m (100 feet). They range from Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur to Peru and are found in the Sea of Cortez from Gonzaga Bay, Baja California to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.

Synonyms are Conus lineolatus, Conus regius, Conus regus, and Ductoconus princeps.