Spike Weaver

This instalment will showcase a very unassuming predator of the deep, the cone snail. This carnivorous invertebrate does not grow very large (up to 6 inches) and is native to the Indo-Pacific reefs.

 The cone snail is identified by the intricate brown and white patterns sought after by shell collectors, similar to the image above. What makes this snail deadly is the venom that it stores, and is delivered with a harpoon like tooth propelled from its frontal proboscis. The venom is a mixture of hundreds of different toxins, making it incredibly complex, and does not have a cure as of yet, you just have to live long enough for the venom to wear off. Venom from the cone snail is not instant death for its prey, but it does work very quickly, getting the nickname of cigarette snail, meaning you have enough time to smoke a cigarette before you die. The amount of time it takes for the snail's prey to die does it no favours, as a fish would easily swim away then die, making it an incredibly long journey for the snail to make to get to its victim. What makes the snail even more deadly is what it couples with its deadly venom, it also causes instantaneous paralysis, which stops it prey from getting away before it dies. This slow, unassuming looking sea creature is one to be careful of, if ever in the Indo-Pacific region.