Table of Contents
Overview
Distribution
Geographic Range
These are marine animals and are found from North Carolina to Florida and into Mexico.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); atlantic ocean (Native )
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
-
Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.
http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera/porifera.php?p=sourcedetails&id=145245
© WoRMS for SMEBD
Source:
World Register of Marine Species
Trusted
Physical Description
Morphology
Physical Description
The Florida horse conch is the largest snail to be found in the American waters, sometimes reaching a length of two feet. It has ten whorls, and its shoulders bear large, low nodules. The operculum is a leathery brown color, the aperture is orange, and the animal itself is brick red in color.
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Ecology
Habitat
The Florida horse conch lives among the sand and weeds in the shallow marine waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Aquatic Biomes: coastal
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 7 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 13 - 68
Temperature range (°C): 22.044 - 24.323
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.534 - 2.951
Salinity (PPS): 35.982 - 36.325
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.350 - 4.890
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.118 - 0.283
Silicate (umol/l): 1.193 - 2.001
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 13 - 68
Temperature range (°C): 22.044 - 24.323
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.534 - 2.951
Salinity (PPS): 35.982 - 36.325
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.350 - 4.890
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.118 - 0.283
Silicate (umol/l): 1.193 - 2.001
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
Trusted
Trophic Strategy
Food Habits
The Florida horse conch are carnivores that feed on bivalves and other snails.
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Life History and Behavior
Reproduction
Reproduction is sexual. The female attaches capsule-like structures to rock or old shell. Each capsule contains several dozen eggs for the young snails to feed upon. The capsule contains 5-6 circular rims, and they are laid in clumps. The young emerge and are an orange color, approximately 3.5 inches in diameter.
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Conservation
Conservation Status
The Florida horse conch is very common and is found quite easily around the Florida coast in the Atlantic ocean.
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Florida horse conchs are used as food and are said to taste "peppery." They also eat other bivalves that may sometimes be pests to man.
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Wikipedia
Triplofusus giganteus
Triplofusus giganteus, previously known as Pleuroploca gigantic, common name the Florida horse conch, is a species of extremely large predatory subtropical and tropical sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, tulip snails and their allies.[1][2]
Although known as a horse conch, this is not a true conch, as it is not in the genus Strombus.
This species is the largest gastropod in the American waters,[3] and one of the largest univalves in the world.
Contents |
Anatomy
The animal can retract the soft parts entirely into the shell and close it with the operculum. The soft parts are bright orange in color.
Shell description
This species shell length can reach 24 inches (600 mm).[3]
The outline of the shell is somewhat fusiform, with a long siphonal canal, and having up to 10[3] whorls. Its sculpture present several spiral cords and axial ribs, some of which can form knobs on the whorls shoulders.[3]
The shell color is bright orange in very young individuals. The shell often becomes greyish white to salmon-orange when adult, with a light tan or dark brown periostracum.[3]
Distribution
This large sea snail is found along the Atlantic coast of the Americas from the U.S. state of North Carolina to the north, to Yucatán in the Gulf of Mexico to the south.[3]
Ecology
Habitat
This species dwells on sand, weed and mud flats from the low intertidal to shallow subtidal zones,[3] in 20 foot (6 m) deep water.
Feeding habits
Triplofusus giganteus is a carnivorous predatory species, and feeds on other large marine gastropods, including the tulip shell (Fasciolaria tuplipa), the lightning whelk (Busycon perversum), and the queen conch (Eustrombus gigas) as well as some Murex species.[4][5] It may also present cannibalistic behaviour, feeding on smaller conspecific individuals.[4] It has been observed (in an aquarium setting) to eat small hermit crabs of the species Clibanarius vittatus.
Human use
Modern times
The U.S. state of Florida declared it the state seashell in 1969. The shell is popular with shell collectors partly because of its great size.
Archaeological and anthropological uses
In classic Mayan art, the Horse Conch is shown being utilised in many ways including as paint and ink holders for elite scribes, and also as a bugle or trumpet.
In southern Florida, Native Americans, including the Calusa and Tequesta, used the horse conch to make several types of artifact. The whole shell, or more commonly only the columella, was attached to a wooden handle and used as a hammer or woodworking tool. The body whorl was used as a drinking cup. The columella was also used to make plummets or sinkers.
References
- ^ a b Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 25 August 2012.
- ^ Rosenberg, G., F. Moretzsohn, and E. F. García. 2009. Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 579–699 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.
- ^ a b c d e f g Leal, J.H. (2002). Gastropods. p. 99-147. In: Carpenter, K.E. (ed.). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 1: Introduction, molluscs, crustaceans, hagfishes, sharks, batoid fishes, and chimaeras. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. 1600p. PDF
- ^ a b Wells F. E., Walker D. I. & Jones D. S. (eds.) (2003). Food of giants – field observations on the diet of Syrinx aruanus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Turbinellidae) the largest living gastropod. The Marine Flora and Fauna of Dampier, Western Australia. Western Australian Museum, Perth.
- ^ Toller, W.; Lewis, K-A. (2003). Queen Conch Strombus gigas. U.S.V.I. Animal Fact Sheet 19. U.S.V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildife.
- Rosenberg, G. 1992. Encyclopedia of Seashells. Dorset: New York. 224 pp. page(s): 91
- Rosenberg, G., F. Moretzsohn, and E. F. García. 2009. Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 579–699 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.
- Snyder M.A., Vermeij G.J. & Lyons W.G. (2012) The genera and biogeography of Fasciolariinae (Gastropoda, Neogastropoda, Fasciolariidae). Basteria 76(1-3): 31-70
Source:
Wikipedia
Unreviewed
Disclaimer
EOL content is automatically assembled from many different content providers. As a result, from time to time you may find pages on EOL that are confusing.
To request an improvement, please leave a comment on the page. Thank you!
