El género Conus Linnaeus, 1758 (Gastropoda: Conidae): Aspectos biológicos, biogeográficos y taxonómicos

The genus Conus Linnaeus, 1758: Biological, biogeographical and taxonomic aspects. With more than 650 extant species, Conus is the genus with the highest species diversity among marine invertebrates. Its great evolutive success appears to be based on its high degree of prey specialization, which is possible through the presence of a sophisticated, modified radular apparatus, and due to the possession of a vast arsenal of unique toxins. In this paper the main biological features of this genus are reviewed, including new findings on molecular taxonomy, and particularly emphasizing the processes of speciation and larval transition event that charactize the biology of Conus.