ABSTRACT
The most venomous gastropod molluscs are the marine snails belonging to the genus Conus. A number of human fatalities have resulted from their stings. The main strategy for hunting appears to be to stalk sleeping fish; Conus geographus is a nocturnal animal, much more active at night than during the day. The snail locates fish by a highly sensitive chemosensory mechanism through its siphon. After locating the fish, it opens up its rostrum as wide as possible very slowly approaching the sleeping fish. Conus geographus is remarkably agile. In aquaria, they have been observed to secrete a strong mucous thread that allows them to levitate themselves downwards in much the same way a spider does with a silk thread. Presumably, they can therefore come off the edges of reefs in order to catch fish and escape from predators. The screening assay used to detect these activities was i.c.v. injection into mice.
