Conus snails are venomous, carnivorous and predatory. They hunt and eat prey such as marine worms, small fish, mollusks and even other cone snails. Because cone snails are slow-moving, they have evolved a venomous harpoon to capture faster-moving prey such as fish. The venom of a few larger species is powerful enough to kill a human being. The harpoon of the cone snail is hollow and barbed. When the snail detects nearby prey, it turns a long flexible tube called a proboscis towards its victim. The venom-laden harpoon is fired from the proboscis into the prey by a powerful muscular contraction. The snail then retracts the harpoon, drawing its paralysed prey into its mouth. |
