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Geography Cone SnailConus geographus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Geography Cone Snail profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 45 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Conus geographus (geography cone snail). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page sayswears a smooth shell with small bumps at the shoulder
The source saysfeaturing coronation (small bumps) at and above the shoulder
The page saysmottled brown or red over white, cream or rose pink
The source saysranges from ground colors of white, cream, or rose pink overlain with brown or red mottled patterns
The page saysIt measures 70 to 150 millimeters
The source saysRange length 70 to 150 mm
The page saysweighs between 13.3 and 62 grams
The source saysRange mass 13.3 to 62 g
The page sayswith an average of 38.8 grams
The source saysAverage mass 38.8 g
The page saysIt lives on living or broken coral reefs and in sandy tidal zones
The source saysliving or fragmented coral reefs, and sandy regions within tidal zones
The page saysacross the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific, including the northern shores of Australia
The source saysindigenous to the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific regions, found specifically along the northern shores of Australia
The page saysIt is found mostly just below the tideline
The source saysmost commonly found in the sublittoral epipelagic zoneNote: sublittoral = below the low-tide line
The page sayswith a recorded depth range of 0 to 200 meters
The source saysRange depth 0 to 200 m
The page saysBy day it lies buried in the sand; at night it hunts
The source saysinactive during the day, burying itself in the sand to camouflage itself for both protection and hunting. At night the snails are active to hunt food.
The page saysIt also uses the hook-and-line method
The source sayssnails hunt with two methods used by other Conus species: the hook-and-line method and the net-hunting method
The page saysit slowly approaches its prey, waving its proboscis like a lure to attract the fish before stinging it with its radula
The source saysthe snail slowly approaches its prey, waving its proboscis like a lure to attract the fish before stinging the fish with its radula
The page saysThe fish jerks violently for a few moments and is hit with a paralyzing venom that stiffens it, and the snail swallows its catch whole, regurgitating the bones hours or days later
The source saysThe 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. Several hours or days later, the snail regurgitates the fish’s bones.
The page saysEither way, the venom goes in through a hollow radular tooth used as a harpoon
The source sayshollow radular tooth (housed in the proboscis) as a harpoon to incapacitate its prey. Venom glands produce deadly toxins and digestive enzymes, and these are injected into the snail’s prey through the radular toothNote: net-hunting: fish engulfed then harpooned with the radular tooth; hook-and-line: stung with the radula
The page saysSmall and medium fish that fit in its mouth
The source sayssmall (30 to 50 mm) and medium (100 to 130 mm) sized fishes that fit into its rostrum (mouth)Note: stats.diet
The page saysstung with venom and swallowed whole
The source saysinjected with a paralyzing excitotoxin venom that stiffens the fish, allowing the cone snail to swallow it wholeNote: stats.diet
The page saysLiving or broken coral reefs and sandy tidal zones across the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific, recorded from 0 to 200 meters deep
The source saysliving or fragmented coral reefs, and sandy regions within tidal zonesNote: stats.habitat; Indo-Pacific and 'Range depth 0 to 200 m' as in the body
The page saysa snail that fires a hollow radular tooth like a harpoon, injecting venom that incapacitates the fish it hunts
The source sayshollow radular tooth (housed in the proboscis) as a harpoon to incapacitate its prey. Venom glands produce deadly toxins and digestive enzymes, and these are injected into the snail’s prey through the radular toothNote: vibe.reason, settled in #836.

Source
02

Lorenz & Morrison 2026

Lorenz & Morrison (2026). Conus geographus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2026: e.T192772A251030063.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: conservationStatus in stats; category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List (iucnredlist.org refuses scripts), taxon id 192772 matches the assessment DOI

Source
03

Safavi-Hemami et al. 2015

Safavi-Hemami et al. (2015). Specialized insulin is used for chemical warfare by fish-hunting cone snails. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysIts venom insulin appears to be part of a toxin mix researchers call the nirvana cabal, released into the water to disorient schools of small fish
The source saysInsulin appears to be a component of the nirvana cabal, a toxin combination in these venoms that is released into the water to disorient schools of small fish
The page saysResearchers found specialized insulins as major components in the venoms of two fish-hunting cone snails, *Conus geographus* and the tulip cone (*Conus tulipa*)
The source saysTwo fish-hunting cone snails, Conus geographus and Conus tulipa, have evolved specialized insulins that are expressed as major components of their venoms.
The page saysInjected into fish, the venom insulin causes hypoglycemic shock, a dangerous drop in blood sugar
The source saysWhen injected into fish, the venom insulin elicits hypoglycemic shock, a condition characterized by dangerously low blood glucose
The page saysIts discoverers say their evidence suggests it is "specifically used as a weapon for prey capture" by cone snails that hunt with a net strategy
The source saysOur evidence suggests that insulin is specifically used as a weapon for prey capture by a subset of fish-hunting cone snails that use a net strategy to capture prey
The page saysdisoriented fish are easier to engulf with the snail's distended false mouth, which works like a net
The source saysmaking them easier to engulf with the snail's distended false mouth, which functions as a net
The page saysReef hunter whose venom insulin, released into the water, appears to disorient schools of small fish before the snail engulfs them and harpoons them with a hollow venom tooth
The source saysreleased into the water to disorient schools of small fish, making them easier to engulf with the snail's distended false mouthNote: tagline; harpoon: ADW 'a fish is engulfed in one mouthful before being harpooned with the radular tooth'; 'reef' from the ADW coral reef habitat
The page saysVenom insulin that appears to be part of the "nirvana cabal," a toxin mix released into the water to disorient schools of small fish, which the snail then engulfs and harpoons with a hollow radular tooth
The source saysInsulin appears to be a component of the nirvana cabal, a toxin combination in these venoms that is released into the water to disorient schools of small fishNote: stats.superpower; engulf-then-harpoon is ADW's net-hunting description
The page saysThe specialized insulin in Conus geographus venom is much more similar to fish insulins than to the mollusc hormone
The source saysThese insulins are distinctive in having much greater similarity to fish insulins than to the molluscan hormoneNote: FAQ 2
The page saysit carries chemical modifications typical of the snail's other venom toxins
The source saysposttranslational modifications characteristic of conotoxins (hydroxyproline, γ-carboxyglutamate) are presentNote: FAQ 2
The page saysInjected into fish, it causes hypoglycemic shock, a condition marked by dangerously low blood glucose
The source saysWhen injected into fish, the venom insulin elicits hypoglycemic shock, a condition characterized by dangerously low blood glucoseNote: FAQ 2

Source
04

Ahorukomeye et al. 2019

Ahorukomeye et al. (2019). Fish-hunting cone snail venoms are a rich source of minimized ligands of the vertebrate insulin receptor. eLife.

The page saysvenom insulins from *Conus geographus*, the tulip cone and a third species, *Conus kinoshitai*, differ in sequence, yet all bind to and activate the human insulin receptor
The source saysInsulins from C. geographus, Conus tulipa and Conus kinoshitai exhibit diverse sequences, yet all bind to and activate the human insulin receptor.
The page saysTested in zebrafish and mice, venom insulins significantly lowered blood glucose in a lab model of diabetes
The source saysWhen tested in zebrafish and mice, venom insulins significantly lower blood glucose in the streptozotocin-induced model of diabetes.Note: streptozotocin-induced = a lab-induced diabetes model in animals, not a human trial
The page sayswhich the authors say offers insight into designing new diabetes drugs
The source saysprovide unique insight into the design of novel drugs for the treatment of diabetes
The page saysVenom insulins from three fish-hunting cone snails, Conus geographus among them, differ in sequence, yet all bind to and switch on the human insulin receptor
The source saysInsulins from C. geographus, Conus tulipa and Conus kinoshitai exhibit diverse sequences, yet all bind to and activate the human insulin receptor.Note: FAQ 3
The page saysIn diabetic zebrafish and mice, venom insulins significantly lowered blood sugar
The source saysWhen tested in zebrafish and mice, venom insulins significantly lower blood glucose in the streptozotocin-induced model of diabetes.Note: FAQ 3
The page saysThe researchers say this may help guide future work on fast-acting insulin drugs
The source saysThis research may help guide future studies looking into developing fast-acting insulin drugs for diabetic patients.Note: FAQ 3; eLife digest

Source
05

Hu et al. 2012

Hu et al. (2012). Elucidation of the molecular envenomation strategy of the cone snail Conus geographus through transcriptome sequencing of its venom duct. BMC Genomics.

The page saysis believed to prey on fish hiding in reef crevices at night
The source saysConus geographus is believed to prey on fish hiding in reef crevices at night.
The page saysthe most highly expressed toxin is not paralytic: it "causes sensory disorientation."
The source saysthe most highly expressed venom component is not paralytic, but causes sensory disorientation
The page saysThe team's data suggest that disorienting prey is central to how the snail uses its venom
The source saysOur data suggest that disorientation of prey is central to its envenomation strategy.
The page saysThe same team calls *Conus geographus* "the deadliest snail on earth,"
The source saysThe fish-hunting cone snail, Conus geographus, is the deadliest snail on earth.
The page saysthe cone snail behind most of the human fatalities recorded in the medical literature
The source sayswell known as the deadliest of all cone snail species, responsible for most of the human fatalities recorded in the medical literature
The page saysCiting earlier work, their paper states that in the absence of medical intervention, 70% of human stinging cases are fatal
The source saysIn the absence of medical intervention, 70% of human stinging cases are fatal [ 11 ].Note: Hu et al. repeat this figure from their reference 11; it is not their own finding
The page saysThe scientists who sequenced its venom duct describe Conus geographus as the deadliest snail on earth
The source saysThe fish-hunting cone snail, Conus geographus, is the deadliest snail on earth.Note: FAQ 1
The page saystheir paper, citing earlier work, states that in the absence of medical intervention, 70 percent of human stinging cases are fatal
The source saysIn the absence of medical intervention, 70% of human stinging cases are fatal [ 11 ].Note: FAQ 1
The page saysdangerLevel: Deadly
The source sayswell known as the deadliest of all cone snail species, responsible for most of the human fatalities recorded in the medical literatureNote: Settles #836: human deaths recorded from the species put it in Deadly (capability reading, #631).

Source
06

Dutertre et al. 2014

Dutertre et al. (2014). Intraspecific variations in Conus geographus defence-evoked venom and estimation of the human lethal dose. Toxicon.

The page saysAnother team found an apparent link between the amount of venom a snail injects and the size of its shell, and used it to extrapolate a human lethal dose of 0.029 to 0.038 milligrams per kilogram of body weight from one historic fatal case
The source saysan apparent linear correlation between the dry weight/volume of injected venom and the size of the shell allowed extrapolation to a human lethal dose (0.038-0.029 mg/kg) from an historic fatal case of C. geographus envenomationNote: extrapolated from a single historic case

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.