Conus purpurascens

To see the footage, click here for Quicktime or here for AVI.


In this footage (shown in real time), a Conus purpurascens will catch and eat a clownfish.

Clownfish

The snail uses its siphon to smell the fish, and its proboscis to catch it. It moves its proboscis about until it feels the fish; once contact is made it shoots a harpoon tooth out of the proboscis which injects toxins into the fish. Some of the toxins stun the fish immediately; the effect is analogous to a powerful electric shock.
Trashing

The snail holds on to the thrashing fish, and soon other toxins paralyze it, allowing the snail to swallow it and digest it at its leisure:
Swallowed

To see the footage, click here for Quicktime or here for AVI.




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