Geography Cone Snail
Fast facts:
– Latin name is Conus geographus
– One of most venomous creatures on Earth
– It’s venom has analgesic properties
– Toxin causes muscle paralysis, vision impairment and respiratory failure
– Most toxic cone snail with more than 100 toxins
– A few microlitres of toxin enough to kill 10 people
– No anti-venom exists
– 36 deaths attributed to snail
The geography cone snail is a predatory snail typically found in warm tropical seas. While it moves like most snails quite slowly, its attack is very fast. It can pump toxins into the water and also shoot a poisoned tipped, harpoon-like proboscis from its mouth. This proboscis is able to easily penetrate a glove as it has to be able to pierce the tough skin of a fish. The attack is often not felt as it injects an analgesic which prevents the sensation of pain.
While there are about 500 species of poisonous cone snail, only a few have the ability to kill a human – and the geography cone snail is the deadliest. It has over 100 toxins. It takes less than a microlitre of toxin to kill. Due to its paralysing nature, there is little pain, rather a numbness and tingling sensation.
There is no anti-venom for cone snail toxin. The only thing to be done is to try and prevent the toxins from spreading.
Scientists are instigating the potential for cone snail toxins to have painkilling uses in medicine as it’s found to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine without the addictive side-effects.
In the past hundred years there have been 36 recorded deaths from the snail. All were accidental with most picking it up as it has an attractive and collectible shell.
In 2015 a crew member of a tourist boat in the Whitsunday’s, Australia, was walking barefoot in shallow water when he was stung. His respiratory system began shutting down, however emergency medical help was on hand and he eventually recovered.
To date, there have been no homicides relating to the use of cone snail venom.
References:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/19/venomous-sea-snail-insulin-prey-conus-geographus
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/g/geography-cone/
https://allthatsinteresting.com/cone-snail
April 8, 2021 at 9:15 pm
Oh yes, those cones are very dangerous, I know them! Looks pretty, but don’t touch them!!
April 9, 2021 at 2:09 pm
We have one of the shells. Found it washed up on the beach. Even though I know there is nothing in it, I am still cautious about touching it.
April 8, 2021 at 9:23 pm
Well that video is terrifying! LOL #nightmaresfordays
April 9, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Sorry, GF. I promise it really is safe to swim in our waters…
April 9, 2021 at 9:11 pm
LOL sooner or later I am going to stop believing you when you say things like that 😂
April 8, 2021 at 11:58 pm
The video says it all. Haven’t heard of this one, Anita. Keep ’em coming!
April 9, 2021 at 2:10 pm
The video makes you glad you aren’t trying to survive life on the reef! I have a few more unusual ones in the mix for you, Jacqui.
April 9, 2021 at 2:32 am
Something I didn’t need to know. I already know that Australia wants to kill humans even more than Florida does.
I have enough problem with terrestrial snails, every year they find a way to get to the orchids in the pool enclosure. I don’t need to know that shark and stingray bites are not the only hazards for plating in my warm Tropical sea.
April 9, 2021 at 2:13 pm
Ah, yes. Us Aussies are a tough breed. We fight to survive every day we live here 😉
Snails and slugs have formed a coalition aiming to destroy all my plants. If only I drank coffee (’cause coffee granules are a great deterrent).
April 9, 2021 at 4:05 am
Wow, that is one dangerous shell to pick up!
I have never heard of a poisonous snail. Nature can be merciless (video)
https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.com/2021/04/a-z-2021-all-that-glistens-is-not-gold.html
April 9, 2021 at 2:14 pm
Nature has an evil side, for sure!
April 10, 2021 at 12:58 am
Whoa, file it under “very pretty and very deadly”
Also “pretty snails in Australia will kill you too”
The Multicolored Diary
April 10, 2021 at 9:35 am
Yup, lots of the little things aren’t friendly to the touch in Oz.
April 10, 2021 at 7:15 am
Pretty shell. Now I must commit that to memory so I know that’s a very dangerous critter.
April 10, 2021 at 9:36 am
And that’s the problem. They really are pretty. A lot of the deaths associated with them are from tourists picking them up…
April 10, 2021 at 12:26 pm
Wow, that sure shows that all that glitters is not gold; or something like that (could not think of the perfect saying right now:-))
Love your theme; something to learn each day about our world..
21 Great Gifts For the Poetry Lover In Your Life
April 10, 2021 at 2:47 pm
I think that saying is pretty close! Thanks for stopping by (off to visit your post now…)