Music Cone
NameMusic Cone
Scientific NameHarmoniconus musicus
Common NameMusic Cone
FamilyConidae
GenusHarmoniconus
Speciesmusicus
Geographic DistributionIndo-Pacific region, ranging from East Africa to the Western Pacific, including areas such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and northern Australia.
Habitatsubtidal
Shell Shapeconical
Average Size (mm)20-40
Identifying FeaturesThe most distinctive features are the broadly conical shell shape, low spire, and the characteristic pattern of dark, often squarish or rectangular, spots on a light background. The visible reddish-pink siphon and foot are also indicative of the live animal.
Raritycommon
Author CitationHwass in Bruguière, 1792
Description
The image displays a live Music Cone snail, *Harmoniconus musicus*, partially submerged in a marine environment characterized by sandy or rubbly substrate and sparse marine vegetation. Its shell is broadly conical with a low spire, featuring a base color of white to cream. The shell is distinctly patterned with numerous dark brown to black spots, often arranged in spiral rows across the body whorl. The living animal's soft parts are visible, including a prominent reddish-pink siphon extending from the anterior end of the shell, and parts of its foot, which also exhibit a reddish-pink hue with some striations.
