There are somewhere between 500 and 600 species of cone snails, most found in the Pacific. Their shells are medium to large, more than 20 cm (the length of your hand from wrist to the tips of your fingers). The shells are heavy and each species has a pattern, some amazingly elaborate. For this reason, the shells are collected.
If this action, either the muscles or the nerve, is stopped then body functions, like breathing, stop. Breathing is good for you, the longer you do it, the longer you’ll live.
Here on some specifics on cone snail toxin workings: Let’s do this alphabetically:
Alpha-conotoxin’s work by inhibiting the receptors on the next neuron that bind to acetycholine. Thus the next neuron does not react and the signal doesn’t get through.
Delta-conotoxin slows sodium channels reactivation. They must be inactivated before they can react again.
I didn’t mention above that potassium channels are part of the proper function of a neuron. They allow the neuron to be reset so it can react again.
In muscles cells nervous signals causes sodium release that then causes calcium release causes the filaments (actin and myosin) to interact and slide past each other. This is muscle contraction. Mu-conotoxin prevents the sodium channels in muscles cells from opening.
Don’t get stung by a cone snail.
I know you'll follow my advice so here is some quick advice if your dive buddy is stung:
First, it probably won’t kill him unless you stay in the water, so…
- Get out of the water.
- Get them to a medical facility as quickly as possible. The biggest problem is if the toxin prevents nerve and muscles action that causes them to stop breathing.
- Do not bother to collect the snail to determine the species. There is no anti-venom for any species. And thus no reason to risk being stung yourself, and no reason to take the time to find the damn thing—go to the hospital.
Last note, if you find a live cone snail send it my way. I want to play around with these: It’s probably illegal but as long as they lock you up and not me I’m okay with that.