There are about 600 species of mollusk cones in the world. They differ in size and color. There are small specimens that are hard to notice among the sand, but there are also huge representatives the size of a human palm. However, despite the external differences, all representatives of these beautiful sea snails are incredibly poisonous. The ability to release poison into the victim’s body helps molluscum cones to hunt, but encountering such a snail poses a mortal danger to humans.
According to observers, every year 2 or 3 people die from cone bites, while the statistics on deaths from shark attacks is half that. The thing is the external attractiveness of the cones and their extraordinary value for collectors from all over the world, which attracts divers and sink collectors to them. There is a known case when a collector from Germany paid more than 200 thousand marks for the shell of this predatory mollusk.
Habitat
Cone-shaped mollusks live in the waters of the tropics and subtropics. These are areas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, water from the Red Sea to the Japanese. Some species are found even in temperate latitudes, for example, you can see representatives of these gastropods in the Mediterranean Sea, where tourists of our country most often relax. Sand shells and small reefs of the waters of Australia and the Philippine Islands chose mollusks cones.
Dangers for people are mollusks in shallow water. Many cases have been described when cones injected poison into the foot of a bather wandering along the shore. Divers floating around the reef suffer as well. The incredible beauty of the mollusk attracts you to reach it and take a sink for memory. The gastropod mollusk only seems to be a defenseless snail, in fact it is a formidable and skillful predator capable of killing a person weighing 70 kg with one bite.
The structure of gastropods
The name of the mollusks was due to its conical shell. Outwardly, it is of the most varied color, which helps the predator to be invisible among the grains of the seabed. The internal structure has three departments. This is the head, torso and leg. The body of the mollusk cone on all sides has a mantle equipped with glands. They secrete calcareous substances that serve as the basis for the shell in which the mollusk is hidden. It has two layers - a thin organic and durable lime, resembling porcelain in appearance.
On the head there are tentacles, eyes, a mouth opening with a movable radula, inside of which there are teeth. At the cones, it changed into a kind of harpoon, inside it there is a cavity through which poison from the gland flows into the victim. Near the mouth opening, many varieties of cones have outgrowths that look like a worm. This is a great bait for fish that snail hunts. The fish, getting into the mouth, is drawn entirely into the goiter, which is associated with the digestive system. After processing the food, the residues go out through the ectodermal gut. The mollusk moves slowly, crawling along the bottom of the sea on a flat movable leg.
Predator
Most small cones feed on worms or other mollusks, but there are species that prey on small fish. The geographic cone also belongs to such subspecies. This is a dangerous representative of gastropods, which is easy to calculate among other mollusks in appearance. His sink reminded the discoverers of a geographical map.
Indeed, brown spots on the surface of the shell resemble continents with uneven edges, which are scattered across the vast "ocean" of a lighter shade. A photograph of this dangerous mollusk can be viewed above. Crawling on its foot over reef stones, this type of cone blends perfectly with the outlines of the environment. It is hard to notice, so he is considered a fairly successful hunter. He swallows the small fish as a whole, and the goiter stretches to the large prey, stretching to the required size, and quietly digests the food further. A special difference between the geographical cone and the rest is the ability to lure fish by stretching its mouth in the form of a funnel with a diameter of up to 10 cm. Small fish can simply swim into it, like in a cave.
Hunting Features
As you already know, the structure of gastropods is fully adapted for successful fishing. Cones hunt at night, and during the day they hide in the thickness of sand. The organ of smell is Ostradium, which analyzes the chemical composition of incoming water. This helps to detect prey and instantly release the harpoon.
This is a pointed tooth, inside of which there is a passage for poison. At the signal, when the radula is thrown and hit at the target, the proboscis is compressed and the poison is injected with force into the victim. He acts instantly, completely paralyzing the fish. Then the slow cone pulls it to the goiter and swallows it whole.
Danger to humans
Depending on the type of cones, the reaction of the human body to a mollusk injection also varies. The harpoon sting can deliver moderate pain with signs of an inflammatory reaction of local importance. There will be redness and slight swelling at the site of the bite. Cones poison is dangerous by the presence of conotoxins, first discovered by the American researcher B. Oliver. It acts on the nerve endings and is capable of causing paralysis of the respiratory system, which leads to death.
The impact of such a poison is comparable to that of a cobra. It blocks the flow of signals from nerve fibers to the muscles of the body. As a result, all organs become numb and the heart stops. Studies conducted by scientists on the composition of the poison and its effect on living organisms have shown that conotoxins can cause mollusks to crawl out of tightly closed shells. Observations of mice injected with a dose of poison surprised scientists. Rodents began to randomly jump and climb the walls of the cage.
First aid to the injured
Of all known cases of a bite from these mollusks, more than 70% of the victims were attacked by a geographic cone. Most often, death occurred when a person was deep under water. At risk are divers and divers for beautiful shells.
Inexperienced lovers of exotic grab their hands on the sink for a narrow part. This is a huge mistake, since it is in this area that the mouth with the poisonous harpoon of the mollusk is located. If you have already decided to take this dangerous predator in your hands, then this is done on the rounded side of the sink. It is advisable to generally avoid encounters with a poisonous mollusk cone, but if it is bitten, then you need to act very quickly, since paralysis occurs after a short period of time.
Due to the fact that the poison consists of several complex toxins, there is no antidote. The only right solution is bloodletting. The wound is washed with fresh water and immobilization is carried out under pressure. It is impossible to warm and wrap the bite site, otherwise the poison will spread faster through the blood. It is not necessary to wait for signs of paralysis, it is urgently necessary to lead the victim to the nearest hospital. Artificial ventilation may be needed on the road.
The venom of these mollusks does not cause allergies, therefore, local residents are saved from being bitten by cones by cutting a wound with a knife and squeezing a large amount of blood.
The use of poison in medicine
Shellfish venom contains many biochemical conotoxins that have different effects on the human nervous system. Some of them have a paralyzing effect, while others anesthetize the bite site. Moreover, the reaction occurs instantly, which is very interested in medical scientists.
After a series of studies, an interesting fact was revealed. The venom of sea cones perfectly anesthetizes seriously ill people, while, unlike the usual morphine, it does not cause addiction or drug addiction. Thanks to the work of scientists, a medicine called "Zikonotide" appeared, which is considered a successful analgesic.
Work is underway to study the effects of conotoxins on humans in the treatment of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, as well as epilepsy.
How to get poison
In special laboratories, they put a small fish in front of the mollusk and tease it until it prepares for an attack. Before the harpoon is thrown, the fish is quickly replaced with a silicone model.
A sharp tooth pierces the wall of the substitute and injects poison into the internal cavity. For this, grateful collectors reward cones with fish. Both are satisfied.
