The Conidae as currently defined have the common English name "Cones or Cone Snails," Earlier classifications grouped the group in a subfamily, the Coninae.
The Conidae currently contain over 800 recognized fossil and Recent species.
In Conidae and the other families that are included in this major clade (family Conidae sensu Taylor et al., 1993), the radula consists only of marginal teeth that are usually enrolled with completely overlapping edges (hypodermic). Teeth at their formation in the radular sac are already enrolled and they are attached to the radular membrane only by their bases, sometimes through a long flexible ligament. In the ‘turrids’ with enrolled teeth, these are attached to the membrane along most of its length.
(From Bouchet et al. 2011) Shell medium-sized to large or very large, normally 20– 50 mm, up to 170 mm high, conical or biconical, with narrow aperture and short siphonal canal. Shell with considerable internal remodelling due to inner wall resorption. Spiral sculpture usually developed, axial sculpture absent or in form of shoulder tuberculation. Anal sinus on subsutural ramp, shallow to moderately deep.
In living taxa
Operculum present, small, with terminal nucleus. Radula of marginal hypodermic teeth, generally harpoon-shaped, barbed at tip, often with complex inner structure of folds and serration, base small and swollen, tooth canal opening (sub)terminally, rarely laterally. Subradular membrane vestigial. Teeth can be attached to the membrane by long or very long flexible ligament. Tooth wall forms several overlapping layers.