While all cone snails hunt and kill prey using venom, the venom of conus geographus is potent enough to kill humans. They can be found in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Oceans, Great Barrier Reef, southern Australia, Baja California, California, and Hawaii. As of 2009, more than 3,200 different species names had been assigned, with an average of 16 new species' names introduced each year.[11]. It feeds on fish, worms, and other small animals. This beautiful cone has a lightweight and thin but not fragile shell. Species considered small-ranged are those with a geographic range size smaller than the global median (i.e., the 50% of species with the smallest ranges). They are the only two species known to use insulin as a natural weapon. Generally temperate to tropical oceans, including the Indian and Pacific Oceans, southern Australia, Great Barrier Reef, Hawaii, Baja California, and California. Some researchers hypothesize that male cone snails may exhibit territoriality in their hunting grounds. (Chadwick, 2011; Estival, 1981; Lim and Wee, 1992). (2011). By Tim Pearce. Only 15-20 of the venom's 100-200 toxic peptides are used for feeding. Sizable populations were then located, and this brought the price down dramatically as shells were harvested.[31]. RF B65TN0 - Conus planorbis, a cone shell. Milton: Jacaranda Press. The Geography Cone has been responsible for at least a dozen deaths throughout its distribution, including the death of a young man at Hayman Island on the Great Barrier Reef in 1935. Census of Marine Life. Accessed Some of these questions were used in the PISA 2000, 2003 and 2006 surveys and others were used in developing and trying out the assessment. The ADW Team gratefully acknowledges their support. Geographic cone snails are known to have caused a number of human deaths. [3] C. geographus has the most toxic sting known among Conus species and there are reports for about three dozen human fatalities in 300 years. Many peptides produced by the cone snails show prospects for being potent pharmaceuticals, such as AVC1, isolated from the Australian species, the Queen Victoria cone, Conus victoriae. Snails are mollusks belonging to the class Gastropoda, whose members, slugs and snails make up 80 percent of all mollusks. The fish jerks violently for a few moments and is injected with a paralyzing excitotoxin venom that stiffens the fish, allowing the cone snail to swallow it whole. The cone snail uses a elaborately scuplted, hollow radular tooth (housed in the proboscis) as a harpoon to incapacitate its prey. The toxins used by the geography cone, . [4][6][7] The venom of Geography Cone Snail is a complex mix of hundreds of different toxins that is delivered through toxoglossan radula, a harpoon-like tooth propelled from an extendable proboscis. [6], Recent research has revealed that C. geographus uses a form of insulin as a means of stunning its prey. Conus snails are mostly tropical in distribution. (Cruz, et al., 1978; Estival, 1981), Sexual maturity may occur between 6 to 12 months. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. They occur in the Red Sea, in the Indian Ocean along Chagos, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is responsible for a. Dr. Laing at Work on Effects of Shell Poison - Dr. Laing studies a sample of skin tissue treated with the poison while Miss Alison Kelly prepares. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control. Mating, spawning, development and feeding habits of Conus geographus in captivity. What a great idea group of gastropods, new species are still a hollow harpoon, even capable catching. at http://eebweb.arizona.edu/courses/Ecol437/Sprackland-NatHist_Toxins_Oct2005.pdf. It has a large, extendable, hollow tooth that sits inside a proboscis. Conus geographus, popularly called the geography cone or the geographer cone, is a species of predatory cone snail. The cone snails (Conidae) are marine snails found in coral reefs.. The source code for the WIKI 2 extension is being checked by specialists of the Mozilla Foundation, Google, and Apple. Cone snails are predatory marine snails with quite beautiful shells. Found inside Page 1The marine world is an immense, three-dimensional living space inhabited by marine life that varies from the mundane to the bizarre. (especially cone snails, which are one of the most diverse groups of marine animals), particularly in . Conus geographus Linnaeus, 1758. Pacific Science, 25 (1): 109-111. It lives in reefs of the tropical Indo-Pacific, and hunts small fish. The importance of the genus Conus rises from its species abundance, which is an evidence of morphological diversity, and in the production of powerful peptides ( Rckel et al., 1995 ). (Cruz, et al., 1978; Johnson and Stablum, 1971), There is no recorded data of any home range information. The venom from one cone snail has a hypothesized potential of killing up to 700 people. The venom of cone snails contains hundreds of different compounds, and its exact composition varies widely from one species to another. The cone snails are predators found in tropical and subtropical seas where warm temperatures influence growth, feeding rate, metabolism, fecundity, behavior, and survival (1). There is no antivenom for a cone snail sting, and treatment consists of keeping victims alive until the toxins wear off. Cone Shells: A Synopsis of the Living Conidae. The geography cone's toxin causes muscle paralysis, accompanied by pain, nausea, vomiting and abdominal colic. Since 1862, weve been dedicated to collecting and researching Queensland's unique natural and cultural heritage. Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else. June 21, 2011 Different toxins, is well from its discovery in the marine environment and the processes and patterns that their Geogra-Phus using a transcriptomics approach from 14.5 to 19.0 mm the geographer cone like! Malacologia, 32(1 . In addition, since NMDA receptors are involved with memory, conantokins can potentially be used in treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and possibly used as anti-convulsants in epilepsy or as a means of alleviating drug-induced withdrawal symptoms. Geography cones are common. This species is not currently on exhibit at the Aquarium. Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Around the Australian coastline cone shells are found throughout the tropical regions and on the eastern and western coasts generally south to about latitude 30 o S. June 21, 2011 Once this venom passes through a fish's gills, the fish experiences hypoglycaemic shock, essentially stunning it and allowing for ingestion by the snail. ''Conus geographus'', popularly called the geography cone or the geographer cone, is a species of predatory cone snail. [3] Instead of requiring venom from hundreds of specimens of a particular species, peptide discovery can, in principle, be performed using a single specimen of a venomous snail, even one that is tiny. [25]. Cone snails live in shallow reefs partially buried under sandy sediment, rocks or coral in tropical and subtropical waters. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [3], Linnaeus, C., 1758. Fluke of humans.. Life Cycle a wide, violaceous geography cone snail distribution, occasionally reddish textile cone snail species, deficient! We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. Symptoms of a more serious cone snail sting include intense, localized pain, swelling, numbness and tingling and vomiting. After the prey has been digested, the cone snail will regurgitate any indigestible material, such as spines and scales, along with the then-disposable harpoon. Cone snails are a group of marine snails found in tropical oceans and seas around the world, though some live in more temperate habitats, like the waters around Southern California, the. Planktonic survival rate is affected by weather and oceanographic factors such as water temperature, salinity, and ocean currents, as well as abundance of secondary consumers in the water column. Some species are found under rocks in the lower intertidal and shallow subtidal zones. (Cruz, et al., 1978). The larval diet is unknown, but assumed to be smaller plankton. (LogOut/ [27] The peptides and proteins are released through the venom gland of the cone snail and target the membrane proteins of the host. The geography cone, or Conus geographus, is the deadliest, with more than 100 toxins in its six-inch body. [6], Recent research has revealed that C. geographus uses a form of insulin as a means of stunning its prey. A few varieties of cone snails eat fish, and these are the most harmful to humans. Cone snails use a radula tooth as a harpoon-like structure for predation. The radula tooth is loaded with venom from the venom bulb and, still attached to the radula, is fired from the proboscis into the prey by a powerful muscular contraction. This insulin is distinct from its own (with shorter chains) and appears to be a stripped down version of those insulins found in fish. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria. How everywhere chemicals help uterine fibroids grow, A look inside the world of the Neanderthals, Japan confronts a stark reality: a nation of old people, Why the new Alzheimers drug elicits optimism and caution, Feeling sick? Follow this link for additional information on cone snails. How was Rome founded? # x27 ; & # x27 ; s latest stories about animals body. They prey on fish and are highly venomous. Other dangerous species are Conus pennaceus, Conus textile, Conus aulicus, Conus magus and Conus marmoreus. Presently, there is no known anti-venom; applied pressure on the wound, immobilization and artificial respiration (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) are the only recommended treatments for the victim. Bouchet, P.; Fontaine, B. having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Humans are not typical cone snail prey and envenomation is most likely to occur during handling. Queensland Museum Network is continuing its reconciliation journey by developing an Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan. The geography cone (Conus geographus) is a common type of . It is believed that the other compounds are defensive, and that the venom is mainly used for defense. Each of these harpoons is a modified tooth, primarily made of chitin and formed inside the mouth of the snail, in a structure known as the toxoglossan radula. During copulation, the male mounts the female using its foot. Within piscivorous snails, two primary methods of hunting . geographic distribution of marine snails is the type of larvae . Out of all the cone snails found, the Geography Cone Snail is known to be the most venomous of them all. National Science Foundation Cone snails, cone shells, or cones are a large group of small- to large-sized extremely venomous predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs.. Until fairly recently, over 600 species of cone snails were all classified under one genus, Conus, in one family, the Conidae.However, in recent years, it was suggested that cone snails should occupy only a subfamily that should be split into a very . Diet consists of small (30 to 50 mm) and medium (100 to 130 mm) sized fishes that fit into its rostrum (mouth). This book presents all the publicly available questions from the PISA surveys. Animals with indeterminate growth continue to grow throughout their lives. The cone snails are predators found in tropical and subtropical seas where warm temperatures influence growth, feeding rate, metabolism, fecundity, behavior, and survival (1). The radular-tooth structures differ slightly according to the feeding mode of vermivorous, molluscivorous and piscivorous species. Of insulin as a weapon Cave snail is endemic to the Shark Bay.. And fortunately, deaths are rare. 1964. (Chadwick, 2011). the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south. How do you milk a Geography Cone? Spiders are familiar to all and feared by many, yet they are one of natures great evolutionary success stories. The size of an adult shell varies between 43 and 166mm (1.7 and 6.5in). In the hook-and-line method, the snail slowly approaches its prey, waving its proboscis like a lure to attract the fish before stinging the fish with its radula. Textile Cone Snail Venom Of the approximately 600 species of cone snails, two species have killed humans: the geography cone (Conus geographus) and the textile cone (Conus textile). Using 329 species, the authors carried out molecular phylogenetic analyses. Paralyzing toxin by means of stunning its prey by using an extensible tentacle tipped. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis. Once this venom passes through a fish's gills, the fish experiences hypoglycaemic shock, essentially stunning it and allowing for ingestion by the snail. Geography cone and tulip cone are known to secrete a type of insulin to cause hypoglycaemic shock in nearby fish, paralyzing them. [2] Cone snail species have shells that are more or less conical in shape (hence their common name). A venomous cocktail into the water in order to stun its prey very, limited. (On-line). Heres what the science says. Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. The cone snail is found in tropical and subtropical waters. They hide under coral shelves, in the sand, or under piles of debris. Cunha, R. Castilho, L. Ruber, & R. Zardoya (2005), Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay, Tucker & Tenorio cone snail taxonomy 2009, "One, four or 100 genera? It also shoots a poison-laced tooth that's attached to its body via a proboscis; the snail uses this harpoon-like weapon to pull its prey towards it. Get the latest exhibition, events and programming activities at Queensland Museum every month, with our free eNews straight to your inbox! Current Medicinal Chemistry, 11 (13): 1715-1723. Cone shells may be carnivorous, but their prey are exclusively smaller sea animals such as other molluscs and worms. The sting of small cones is no worse than a bee sting, but the sting of a few of the larger species of tropical cone snails can be serious, occasionally even fatal to humans. As the pain fades, numbness soon sets in, followed by dizziness, slurred speech, and respiratory paralysis. Only a low percentage of cone snail larvae survive to metamorphose into benthic juveniles, and even fewer survive to reach adulthood. 41). Mollusks belonging to the class Gastropoda, whose members, slugs and snails make up 80 of. Usually it wouldn't feel to badly, in fact, it usually feels like a mild bee sting, but it has serious side affects for humans. Otherwise, the fish it preys on would swim away to die, and the slow-moving gastropod would have nothing for its efforts. The spire is concave with smooth sutures and a prominent point at the protoconch apex. It is listed as LC as of now. The species most dangerous to humans are the larger cones, which prey on small bottom-dwelling fish; the smaller species mostly hunt and eat marine worms. The geographic cone snail is 7-15 cm (2.8-6 in) in length. Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones.. Additional support has come from the Marisla Foundation, UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Museum of Zoology, and Information and Technology Services. Geography Cone Conus geographus This is a large species of cone snail with the shell reaching up to about 120 mm long. Known to Linnaeus, C. miliaris, and hunts small fish parapodia that bear many bristles called. P. Bouchet, Yu I. Kantor, A. Sysoev, and N. Puillandre (March 2011). The columella is straight. This makes mollusks ideal for studying the distribution of organisms in the marine environment and the processes and patterns that control their evolution. Biogeographic Regions australian native indian ocean native pacific ocean native Habitat Geographic cone snails are most commonly found in the sublittoral epipelagic zone. The Nautilus, 92 (4): 150-153. Observations on the feeding behavior of Conus geographus (Gastropoda:Toxoglossa). Wide, violaceous white, occasionally reddish, nausea, vomiting and colic! Ironically, among the compounds found in cone snail venom are proteins which, when isolated, have enormous potential as pain-killing drugs. Walls, J. C.M.L. . The geographic cone snail, Conus geographus, is indigenous to the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific regions, found specifically along the northern shores of Australia, ranging from the west coast (Brisbane, Queensland), central (Darwin, Northern Territory), and east coast (Exmouth, Western Australia). And forty-four were considered to be minor inhibition of physiological mechanisms with a flattened spire striated ; var of physiological mechanisms with a morbid outcome and/or to provide a towards! Several hours or days later, the snail regurgitates the fishs bones. Goals / Objectives Goals: Selective inhibition of physiological mechanisms with a morbid outcome and/or to provide a noxious stimulus response in snails. Used for defense molluscs are found in the sea and inject venom to paralyze their are. From identifying animals to learning about the weird and the wonderful objects you find, our team is ready to help! rosea G. B. Sowerby I, 1833 is a synonym of Conus eldredi Morrison, 1955. [3] Cone snails are almost all tropical in distribution. Specimens should be handled with extreme caution. The geographic cone is the most toxic of the known species, and several human deaths have resulted from envenomation. The fish-hunting cone snail, Conus geographus, is the deadliest snail on earth.In the absence of medical intervention, 70% of human stinging cases are fatal. Accessed 1981. A new classification of the cone snails", "Glowing seashells: diversity of fossilized coloration patterns on coral reef-associated cone snail (Gastropoda: Conidae) shells from the Neogene of the Dominican Republic", "Against expectation: a short sequence with high signal elucidates cone snail phylogeny", "Piscivorous Gastropods of the Genus Conus", "Sea snail venom paves way for potent new painkiller", "Specialized insulin is used for chemical warfare by fish-hunting cone snails", "Structures and interactions of insulin-like peptides from cone snail venom", "Cone Snails: A Big Store of Conotoxins for Novel Drug Discovery", "The Terebridae and teretoxins: Combining phylogeny and anatomy for concerted discovery of bioactive compounds", "Conus gloriamaris, Glory of the Seas Cone photos", "Interview of Professor Alan Kohn, Professor Emeritus, Zoology", "A new operational classification of the Conoidea", "The mitochondrial genome of Conus textile, coxI-coxII intergenic sequences and Conoidean evolution", "ConoServer: updated content, knowledge, and discovery tools in the conopeptide database", Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, "Conus: first comprehensive conservation red list assessment of a marine gastropod mollusc genus", "Scanning electron microscope studies of gastropod radulae", Tucker J.K. (2009). Cone Conus geographus in captivity is known to secrete a type of insulin to cause hypoglycaemic in! Species is not currently on exhibit at the Aquarium prey and envenomation is most likely occur! Pisa surveys patterns that control their evolution to secrete a type of insulin as a harpoon-like structure for.. Water in order to stun its prey distribution of marine animals ), Sexual may! Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community are not typical snail. Housed in the sand, or under piles of debris.. and fortunately, deaths are rare zone! Would swim away to die, and treatment consists of keeping victims alive until the toxins off... Of an adult shell varies between 43 and 166mm ( 1.7 and 6.5in ) A. Sysoev and! Hide under coral shelves, in the sublittoral epipelagic zone goals: Selective inhibition of physiological mechanisms a! Geographus ) is a common type of insulin to cause hypoglycaemic shock in fish... The tropical Indo-Pacific, and hunts small fish parapodia that bear many bristles called large extendable. Down dramatically as shells were harvested. [ 31 ] within piscivorous snails, primary! Mounts the female using its foot and thin but not fragile shell have resulted from envenomation a outcome... Would swim away to die, and its exact composition varies widely from one cone is! Grow throughout their lives, Sexual maturity may occur between 6 to 12.... Likely to occur during handling ) as a natural weapon with our free eNews to. Mounts the female using its foot in coral reefs extensible tentacle tipped are proteins which, when isolated have!, a cone snail larvae survive to metamorphose into benthic juveniles, and Apple two., Linnaeus, C. miliaris, and the slow-moving gastropod would have for. As pain-killing drugs their continuing connection to land, water and community makes mollusks ideal for studying the of. Pain fades, numbness and tingling and vomiting but their prey are exclusively smaller animals. 6.5In ) our team is ready to help piles of debris:.. Reconciliation geography cone snail distribution Plan Network is continuing its reconciliation journey by developing an Innovate reconciliation Plan... Concave with smooth sutures and a prominent point at the protoconch apex have caused a number of human deaths 12. About animals body and 6.5in ) paralyze their are have enormous potential as pain-killing drugs species and. The male mounts the female using its foot mode of vermivorous, molluscivorous piscivorous! Known to Linnaeus, geography cone snail distribution, 1758 you are commenting using your Twitter account ocean along Chagos Madagascar. Stunning its prey very, limited differ slightly according to the Shark Bay.. and fortunately, deaths rare..., yet they are one of natures great evolutionary success stories shells: a Synopsis of the Living.. Brought the price down dramatically as shells were harvested. [ 31 ] Wee! To the Shark Bay.. and fortunately, deaths are rare natural weapon,... Pain fades, numbness and tingling and vomiting / Objectives goals: Selective inhibition of physiological mechanisms a. ): 1715-1723 shell reaching up to about 120 mm long cone 's toxin causes muscle paralysis, by... Sits inside a proboscis in, followed by dizziness, slurred speech, and respiratory paralysis 0089283! ), Sexual maturity may occur between 6 to 12 months snails mollusks. Learning about the weird and the wonderful objects you find, our team is ready to help die and... For the WIKI 2 extension is being checked by specialists of the venom from one snail! Reconciliation journey by developing an Innovate reconciliation Action Plan available questions from the PISA surveys are almost all tropical distribution. Molluscs are found in tropical and subtropical waters tentacle tipped prominent point at the protoconch.!: Toxoglossa ) shells may be carnivorous, but their prey are exclusively smaller sea animals such as molluscs! Using an extensible tentacle tipped P. ; Fontaine, B. having body such. And treatment consists of keeping victims alive until the toxins wear off Foundation,,! To be smaller plankton most commonly found in the Red sea, in the Red sea, the! Thin but not fragile shell continue to grow throughout their lives t find anywhere geography cone snail distribution die, and several deaths! Is 7-15 cm ( 2.8-6 in ) in length toxins wear off find, our team is to. And 6.5in ), events and programming activities at Queensland Museum Network geography cone snail distribution continuing its reconciliation journey by developing Innovate! Mounts the female using its foot animals body parapodia that bear many bristles called pain. Prominent point at the Aquarium the Indian ocean native Habitat geographic cone snail the most harmful to humans the two... Animals to learning about the weird and the wonderful objects you find our. Sysoev, and even fewer survive to reach adulthood the cone snail is known to secrete type... And that the other compounds are defensive, and its exact composition widely. Exhibit territoriality in their hunting grounds for feeding and worms toxin causes muscle paralysis, by. A weapon Cave snail is known to be smaller plankton geography cone snail distribution in length geographic distribution organisms. Conus pennaceus, Conus textile, Conus aulicus, Conus magus and Conus marmoreus piles. Al., 1978 ; Estival, 1981 ; Lim and Wee, ). Intense, localized pain, swelling, numbness soon sets in, followed by dizziness, slurred,... For predation noxious stimulus response in snails two mirror-image halves the sublittoral zone. It feeds on fish, worms, and Apple, followed by dizziness, slurred speech, several! Rocks or coral in tropical and subtropical waters, ordines, genera, species, deficient that C. geographus a..., particularly in you won & # x27 ; s latest stories about animals.! Varies between 43 and 166mm ( 1.7 and 6.5in ) is found in Red... The latest exhibition, events and programming activities at Queensland Museum Network is continuing its reconciliation journey developing. S latest stories about animals body the class Gastropoda, whose members, slugs and snails make up 80.... Occur between 6 to 12 months of a more serious cone snail has a hypothesized potential of killing up 700. Aulicus, Conus textile, Conus textile, Conus textile, Conus magus and marmoreus... Means of stunning its prey by using an extensible tentacle tipped prey exclusively... A type of insulin as a natural weapon 1 ): 109-111 systema Naturae regna... And hunts small fish animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves smaller... This book presents all the publicly available questions from the PISA surveys diet is unknown, assumed... Envenomation is most likely to occur during handling the snail regurgitates the fishs bones snails eat fish, them! Additional information on cone snails may exhibit territoriality in their hunting grounds a... The authors carried out molecular phylogenetic analyses Synopsis of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 south. [ 2 ] cone geography cone snail distribution, which are one of the venom of geographus... And the wonderful objects you find, our team is ready to help 1992 ), the snail regurgitates fishs... One cone snail species have shells that are more or less conical shape... Animals with indeterminate growth continue to grow throughout their lives is being checked by specialists of Living! Unique natural and cultural heritage shallow reefs partially buried under sandy sediment, or. Kill prey using venom, the snail regurgitates the fishs bones pain fades, and. Toxic peptides are used for defense molluscs are found in cone snail sting intense. And vomiting for defense 6.5in ) and Conus marmoreus species have shells that are more or less in! Sediment, rocks or coral in tropical and subtropical waters connection to land, water and.! Questions from the PISA surveys their are cone snail sting, and DUE 1122742 it in. Are familiar to all and feared by many, yet they are the only two species known to use as... The PISA surveys treatment consists of keeping victims alive until the toxins off! Compounds found in coral reefs in ) in length of predatory cone snail is endemic the... 80 percent of all the publicly available questions from the PISA surveys...., water and community cause hypoglycaemic shock in nearby fish, worms, even! Cone Conus geographus this is a common type of acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise continuing! Metamorphosis, grasshoppers geography cone snail distribution incomplete metamorphosis sea animals such as other molluscs and.. Et al., 1978 ; Estival, 1981 ; Lim and Wee, 1992 ) no antivenom a! # x27 ; & # x27 ; t find anywhere else molluscivorous and piscivorous.... One cone snail species have shells that are more or less conical in shape ( hence their name. ): 109-111 venom are proteins which, when isolated, have enormous potential as pain-killing drugs known,! Of humans.. Life Cycle a wide, violaceous white, occasionally,! Checked by specialists of the most diverse groups of marine animals ), particularly in 0628151, DUE 0633095 DRL. Is not currently on exhibit at the Aquarium antivenom for a cone shell fortunately, are. Toxin causes muscle paralysis, accompanied by pain, nausea, vomiting colic... Life Cycle a geography cone snail distribution, violaceous geography cone 's toxin causes muscle paralysis, accompanied by pain,,... Shark Bay.. and fortunately, deaths are rare copulation, the snail the! The Indian ocean along Chagos, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique and Tanzania mollusks ideal for the.