Conus tiaratus, common name the tiara cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their relatives.
Like all species within the genus Conus, these snails are predatory and venomous. They are capable of stinging humans, therefore live ones should be handled carefully or not at all.
Description The size of the shell varies between 15mm and 39mm. The shell itself is conical, resembling a conch shell. It is either white with orange spots or orange with white spots, with a white interior.
Conservation status According to the IUCN analysis conducted in 2011, it is classified as "least concern."Tenorio, M.J. 2013. Conus tiaratus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T192839A2171069. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T192839A2171069.en. Accessed on 02 March 2026.
Distribution This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean, predominantly found in the Eastern Pacific from Southern Mexico to Peru; off the Galapagos Islands.
References
Sources Bartsch, P. & Rehder, H. A. 1939. Smithson. Misc. Collns. 98 (10): 1, plate 1, figure 4,7.
External links
The Conus Biodiversity website Cone Shells – Knights of the Sea