Cone shells are very popular with collectors but infamous as deadly sea creatures with a powerful sting.  People have been fatally wounded handling live cones.  If one must, the least dangerous method is to hold the shell at the widest point and be prepared to let go if the animal extends itself.  Never place live cones in a pocket, wetsuit, or bag close to your body. 

The most deadly venom belongs to cones with wide apertures adapted to swallow fish, and tented cones that feed upon gastropods.  It is purported that worm-eating cone venom is less potent since they are weaker and slow-moving.  The sting comes from a hollow harpoon dart named the radula.  The highly flexible proboscis, an unmarked flexible tube between the always-extended siphon and foot, selects a radula, impales the victim, and injects venom, quickly paralyzing it for consumption.  The barbed harpoon tip allows the cone to maintain hold of the victim and draw it into the mouth.  In some instances it may strike more than once.

Cones are found exposed on hard reef or buried in sand and hunt for prey after sunset.  The shell is coated with brown periostracum, which in turn may be overgrown by coralline algae, masking colors and flaws beneath.  Taxonomically, there are two naming systems, and I chose genus Conus rather than subgenera for simplicity.

Prey items

Fish

Worms

Snails

Cones

   Textile Cone                             Banded Marble Cone                            Striated Cone

Conus leopardus egg capsules

ABBREVIATED CONE  

HAWAIIAN DWARF CONE  

Conus sandwichensis

HAWAIIAN CONE 

Conus striatus oahuensis

HAWAIIAN STRIATED CONE  

Conus purus 

HAWAIIAN PENNIFORM CONE  

Conus peasei

HAWAIIAN GOLDEN-YELLOW CONE  

Conus spiceri

SPICER'S CONE  

DWARF CONE  

Conus coronatus

CROWN CONE  

IMPERIAL CONE  

Conus catus

CAT CONE  

CHALDEAN CONE  

HEBREW CONE  

Conus distans

DISTANTLY-LINED CONE 

OLIVE-GREEN CONE  

FRIGID CONE  

MORELET'S CONE  

Conus quercinus

OAK CONE,  juv  

Conus quercinus

OAK CONE  

HIEROGLYPH CONE  

LEOPARD CONE  

Conus pulicarius

FLEA CONE  

BANDED MARBLE CONE  

RETIFER CONE  

 Conus textile

TEXTILE CONE  

 Conus auricomus

GOLD-LEAF CONE  

 Conus auratinus

AURATINUS CONE  

BOUTET'S CONE  

PERFORATED CONE  

CALF or RINGED CONE  

CIRCUMACTUS CONE  

CAPTAIN CONE

FLAG CONE  

RAT CONE  

Conus miles

SOLDIER CONE  

Conus obscurus

DUSKY CONE, juv  

Conus obscurus

DUSKY CONE  

TULIP CONE

BUBBLE CONE  

NUSSATELLA CONE  

CYLINDRICAL CONE

SHARP-ANGLED CONE  

HOPWOOD'S CONE

SAZANKA CONE

FRECKLED CONE

MARBLED CONE  

AUREUS CONE  

STRIOLATED CONE

LEADEN CONE

GEOGRAPHY CONE

IVORY CONE

Conus stercusmuscarum

FLY-SPECKED CONE

SAND-DUSTED CONE

MAGIC CONE

LETTERED CONE

PURPLE CONE

CALIFORNIA CONE 

DALL'S CONE