Conus episcopatus da Motta, 1982
Episcopal cone, 90mm

Conus episcopatus is a moderately uncommon species found in a variety of lagoon and seaward reef habitats. It usually lives buried in sand or rubble underneath rocks during the day and emerges at night to hunt gastropod mollusks. It can be distinguished from the similar and generally more common species Conus omaria by its narrower, more cone-like shape and more erect spire with a rounded top. This was long known by the similar name Conus episcopus, a name that was found to have been given to another species that already had a name.

The shell below had been badly broken some time ago and rebuilt itself from the crack. Frequently breaks like this interrupt the regular shell pattern being laid down. It is likely something such as a crab tried to peel back the aperture to eat the cone animal inside, but apparently gave up and the cone survived to grow again.

Below is an unusually large, 90mm shell.

Created 4 July 2009
Updated 12 March 2020

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