My wife was "stung" by Conus mindanus on a diving trip last year.  Her
hand was a little swollen but it quickly resided.

Andre Poremski



Lyle Therriault wrote:
> In terms of handling Conidae,
>
> On many occasions I have handled live conus jaspideus stearnsi, conus
> anabathrum and conus spurius along Florida's coasts. I can say that I
> have done this without the aid of utensils or any type of protective
> gear for my hands. Usually I pick them up by holding the largest part of
> the shell which would be the shoulder, and spire up. I would never pick
> one up by the shells base. The jaspideus have actually came out of their
> shell and crawled along my palm, slowly. Most of the time the animals
> retreat into their shell and do not come out unless put on sand. One
> time however I picked up a conus anabathrum to measure it, (I guess most
> collectors don't use that name anymore) and it extended it's probiscus
> halfway up the first whorl on the dorsum side of the shell. I think if I
> had not looked at it, it might have speared me, or attempted too.  In
> several fresh dead specimens with the animal intact I have noticed that
> the ligament between the barb and poison gland is rather long and kinked
> up (much like this> WWWWWWW) and thus I had the thought that it could
> possibly shoot it's barb almost the length of it's total shell length. I
> would have to study this more in order to be conclusive.
>
> Lyle Therriault
>
>
>
>
>
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: Ellen Bulger
>     Sent: Jan 21, 2009 8:01 PM
>     To: [log in to unmask]
>     Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] Cone Shells
>
>     Collecting, I used a long-handled spoon, and I put the cones into a
>     clear plastic jar (with a few small holes to allow water to drain in
>     and out) with a hinged lid. Gingerly, all very gingerly! And this
>     while being rolled in the surf. It was, um, exciting. But then these
>     days I like to catch wasps.
>
>     I wouldn't handle even the tiniest of cones with my bare hands. But
>     I have heard that it is the big ones that do you in!
>
>     On Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 6:42 PM, Andrew Grebneff
>     <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
>
>          > I have heard that generally the tent marked cones have the more
>          > virlunt poisons.
>
>         It would be dangerous to make assumptions as to which are dangerous.
>         Conus spurius has been known to give a painful bite, and someone
>         with
>         an allergy to cone venom (not "poison") could well die if bitten by
>         any "harmless" cone.
>
>         As to tenting, C. striatus is known to be a deadly species. and
>         is not tented.
>
>         Tented widemouthed cones are all related to the known danger
>         Cylinde.
>         textile, and are congeneric eg C. gloriamaris.These shells are
>         easily
>         identified by the style of white tents with dark-brown frames; other
>         tented cones eg Conus marmoreus lack frames. Species of
>         Cylinder, one
>         of the few members of of the multiplicity of unsupportable "genera"
>         often split from "Conus", also have characteristically ciolored
>         animals, with a red-edged siphon.
>
>         Other widemouthed beasts related to C. omaria and C. pennaceus are
>         also dangerous; these probably belong to another distinct genus,
>         possibly along with C. geographus. These are tented species, again
>         without frames.
>
>         I would not want to bet that a small specimen of a dangerous species
>         is any less dangerous than an adult; there may be less toxin
>         injected
>         during a bite, but it's the same toxin.
>
>         I think it would be wise to take a modicum of care handling ANY live
>         (or suspected live!) cone, and great care with any widemouthed or
>         textile-patterned specimen. Remember that the animal's proboscis can
>         reach any point of its shell, so handle using tools or a container
>         lip, never fingers where possible. And I bet that that proboscis can
>         move fast.
>
>         --
>         Andrew Grebneff
>         Dunedin, New Zealand
>         Fossil preparator
>         Mollusc, Toyota & VW van nut
>
>         <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
>
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>
>
> Lyle Therriault,
> Property Manager
> Cone Shell Collector
> Toyota Truck Fan
> Hunter-Gatherer
> Artist
> Purveyor of Peace and Quiet
>
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