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The venom of carnivorous marine snails from the genus Conus provides a valuable source of biologically active peptides . These are composed of a complex mixture of disulfide rich ion-channel neurotoxins, commonly known as conotoxins (Ctx), many of which target both the central and peripheral nervous system. This diverse class of molecules provides a source of potent ion-channel ligands that are highly selective for different classes ion-channel, receptors and transporters. Their high degree of potency and selectivity makes them excellent tools for studying the nervous system.

The composition of cone snail venom is extremely complex. It has been estimated that the venom of a single Conus species may contain between 50-200 different toxin components. Thus, the total number of conotoxins among the entire genus may consist of over 50,000 distinct neurologically active peptides  The first conotoxins to be formally identified were isolated from the venom of piscivorous species, such as C.geographus due to their ability to paralyse invertebrates. However, the venom of molluscivorous and vermivorous Conus species such as C. marmoreous and C.imperialis respectively also provides a rich source of neurologically active peptides. This diversity provides a valuable source of research tools for pharmacologists, neurochemists and physiologists, often with significant applications in drug discovery.