MARINE ANIMALS THAT STING 39 



wearing of an outer garment over the body will help to prevent 

 scratches over the body, which can develop into festering sores. 

 Scratches should be painted with a mild antiseptic, such as zep- 

 herin* solution, upon getting out of the water. 



Molluscs 



Stinging or venomous molluscs of concern to the skin diver fall 

 largely into two categories: 



I. Gastropods or univalve molluscs. 

 II. Cephalopods — octopuses and squids. 

 Gastropods 



The univalves include land, freshwater, and marine snails and 

 slugs. Members of this class are characterized by a single shell, or 

 lack of a shell. The body is usually asymmetrical in a spirally coiled 

 shell (the slugs are an exception to this arrangement). There is 

 typically a distinct head, with one to two pairs of tentacles, two 

 eyes, and a large flattened fleshy foot. Only members of the genus 

 Conus are of particular concern to the skin diver. 



Species of Cone Shells: Univalve molluscs of the genus Conus, 

 or cone shells, as they are commonly called, because of their cone- 

 like shape, are favorites of shell collectors because of their ornate 

 and attractive patterns. There are more than 400 species of cone 

 shells, and all of them contain a highly-developed venom apparatus. 

 Cone shells are usually found under rocks, coral, or crawling along 

 the sand. Several of the tropical species have caused deaths. Some 

 of the more dangerous species are listed below : 



Court Cone, Conus aulicus Linnaeus (Fig. 16, Upper Left). 

 Ranges from Polynesia westward to the Indian Ocean. 



Geographer Cone, Conus geographus Linnaeus (Fig. 16, Upper 

 Right). Inhabits the Indo-Pacific, from Polynesia to east Africa. 



Marbled Cone, Conus marmoreus Linnaeus (Fig. 16, Center 

 Left) . Ranges from Polynesia westward to the Indian Ocean. 



Striated Cone, Conus striatus Linnaeus (Fig. 16, Center Right). 

 Inhabits the Indo-Pacific, from Australia to east Africa. 



Textile Cone, Conus textile Linnaeus (Fig. 16, Lower Left). 

 Ranges from Polynesia to the Red Sea. 



Tulip Cone, Conus tulipa Linnaeus (Fig. 16, Lower Right). 

 Ranges from Polynesia to the Red Sea. 



* It is recommended that zepherin solution be used rather than merthiolate 

 or iodine solution, since sensitivity reactions to these latter solutions are not 

 uncommon in the tropics. 



