418 Dive Log Australasia JUNE 2026.pdf

venom gland along a venom duct into the prey. This is when things get really interesting, and extremely complex! Cone Snails are exceptional chemical “factories” and manufacture incredibly complex venoms, comprising in some instances of many thousands of components, thus making the manufacture of an effective anti-venom well nigh impossible. These venoms have to work fast – if you imagine a slow-moving snail trying to subdue a fast moving fish, speed of envenomation is vital. Fish-eating Cones can actually be even more sneaky, as they can release certain chemicals into the surrounding water that effectively subdues the prey, even before being harpooned. In some instances, the released chemicals closely resemble insulin, and this causes a huge sugar “crash” in the fish, immobilising it and making ingestion easy – current research into this may lead to finding ways to improve the human body’s methods of controlling blood sugar and energy metabolism. Perhaps the most devious aid to catching prey is exhibited by the Imperial Cone Snail, Conus imperialis . These cones, like the vast majority of

the group, are worm hunters and they utilize what is known as “small-molecule mimicry hunting”, which is a bit of a mouthful for a very underhand method of catching food. Effectively the venom closely resembles the mating pheromones of the worms. Pheromones are substances that are secreted externally by organisms that trigger a behaviour in other members of the same species. So, the Cone Snail secretes a chemical which causes certain worm species to react as if mating is on the cards, only to find out too late that what is on offer is anything but…….., and of course by that

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Dive Log Australasia #418 JUNE ’26

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