CR

Conus tuticorinensis

Declining

Overview

Conus tuticorinensis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.

Conus tuticorinensis is a marine cone snail known only from a narrow stretch of shallow coastal waters near Tuticorin (Thoothukudi) in the Gulf of Mannar, India, making it acutely vulnerable to localized disturbance. Its restricted range overlaps with intensive nearshore fishing, dredging, and coastal development linked to the Tuticorin port and adjacent industrial activity, which degrade the sandy and reef-associated substrates it depends on. Shell collection for the ornamental and curio trade has historically placed additional pressure on cone snail populations in this region, compounding the effects of habitat disturbance.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits shallow subtidal marine environments with sandy and rubble substrates along the Gulf of Mannar coastline, typically near reef-associated ecosystems in the Tuticorin area.

Other threatened species in CONIDAE

VU

Conus cuneolus

Stable
EN

Hieroglyphic Cone

Conus hieroglyphus

Unknown
VU

Conus teodorae

Stable
EN

Conus crotchii

Stable

Frequently asked questions

Why is Conus tuticorinensis classified as Critically Endangered?
Conus tuticorinensis is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Conus tuticorinensis is a marine cone snail known only from a narrow stretch of shallow coastal waters near Tuticorin (Thoothukudi) in the Gulf of Mannar, India, making it acutely vulnerable to localized disturbance. Its restricted range overlaps with intensive nearshore fishing, dredging, and coastal development linked to the Tuticorin port and adjacent industrial activity, which degrade the sandy and reef-associated substrates it depends on. Shell collection for the ornamental and curio trade has historically placed additional pressure on cone snail populations in this region, compounding the effects of habitat disturbance.
Where does Conus tuticorinensis live?
Conus tuticorinensis occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Conus tuticorinensis?
The main threats to Conus tuticorinensis are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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