Anemone Cone

Appearance

The size of the shell varies between 21 mm and 93 mm. The shell is very variable in form. It is short and robust, with a short spire, or longer and more slender, with an elevated spire. The spire and the body whorl are closely encircled throughout with close ridged striae. The color of the shell is white, longitudinally nebulously or reticulately painted with chestnut or chocolate, with an irregular central white band. The color of the aperture is chocolate-tinged and white-banded in the middle.

Naming

*"Conus anemone anemone" Lamarck, 1810 represented as "Conus anemone" Lamarck, 1810
⤷ "Conus anemone compressus" G. B. Sowerby II, 1866: synonym of "Conus compressus" G. B. Sowerby II, 1866
⤷ "Conus anemone novaehollandiae" A. Adams, 1855 )
⤷ *According to the World Register of Marine Species database, the status of "Conus anemone novaehollandiae" is in dispute. WoRMS regards it as a subspecies of "C. anemone". However, there are morphological and habitat differences between the two, and there is a 600-kilometer distribution gap between the northernmost "anemone" populations and the southernmost "novaehollandiae" populations. Australian specialists treat the two as distinct species.

Distribution

This species is endemic to Australia and occurs off New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia