The Lithograph Cone

This regular postage issue showcases a detailed malacological illustration of a Lithograph Cone (Conus lithoglyphus), isolating its characteristic obconic shell structure against a light background accented by stylized blue wave motifs. The central vignette highlights the gastropod's glossy, deep chestnut-brown body whorl, which is interrupted by highly distinct, irregular white bands and patches near the shoulder and base. Historically, this release forms part of a dedicated definitive marine survey series produced while the Comoro Islands were an overseas territory of the French Republic. By cataloging this predatory, venomous reef dweller, the postal administration documented the rich benthic biodiversity of the shallow coral reefs, sand flats, and tidal zones that ring the volcanic archipelago in the Western Indian Ocean.