Strombus gigas Linnaeus, 1758 - queen conch shell on shallow subtidal seafloor (aragonite sand substrate). (photo taken by Mark Peter)
This species is also known as Eustrombus gigas, Lobatus gigas, and Aliger gigas.
Gastropods are slug-like molluscs. They occur in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Many of them (snails) make a calcareous, coiled, external shell, which is used for protection from predators. A large species of marine gastropod (snail) in the waters around San Salvador Island is the Strombus gigas, the queen conch. It was formerly abundant but is now uncommon due to overharvesting by humans for food. "Conch fritters" are a common dish in the Bahamas. Bahamian law forbids harvesting of pre-adult queen conchs, but this rule is frequently ignored by scofflaws. Adult queen conchs have a flared apertural margin, whereas pre-adult individuals lack the flared aperture. The apertural inner surface has a lovely pinkish to reddish coloration.
The fish near the center of the photo is a juvenile Halichoeres bivittatus (Bloch, 1791), a type of wrasse (common name "slippery dick") (Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Actinopterygii, Perciformes, Labridae). The green-colored blades surrounding the shell are turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum König, 1805 - Plantae, Angiospermophyta, Najadales, Hydrocharitaceae). The thin, green-colored stalks surrounding the shell are manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme (Kützing, 1860) - Plantae, Angiospermophyta, Najadales, Cymodoceaceae).
Classification: Animalia, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Strombidae
Locality: seagrass bed in southeastern Graham's Harbour, northeastern San Salvador Island, eastern Bahamas
Tags: Strombus gigas queen conch shell gastropod snail San Salvador Island Bahamas
Strombus gigas Linnaeus, 1758 - queen conch shell (abapertural view) (specimen housed in the Biologic Repository at Gerace Research Centre, San Salvador Island, Bahamas).
This species is also known as Eustrombus gigas, Lobatus gigas, and Aliger gigas.
The gastropods (snails & slugs) are a group of molluscs that occupy marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Most gastropods have a calcareous external shell (the snails). Some lack a shell completely, or have reduced internal shells (the slugs & sea slugs & pteropods). Most members of the Gastropoda are marine. Most marine snails are herbivores (algae grazers) or predators/carnivores.
The queen conch, Strombus gigas, is a large gastropod that occupies shallow-water to moderately shallow-water seagrass beds, sandy seafloors, and rubbly seafloors. It occurs in tropical to subtropical areas of the western Atlantic Basin, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea.
Classification: Animalia, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Strombidae
Locality: San Salvador Island, eastern Bahamas
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More info. at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobatus_gigas
Tags: Strombus gigas queen conch snail San Salvador Island Bahamas snails gastropod gastropods
Strombus gigas Linnaeus, 1758 - queen conch shell (apertural view) (specimen housed in the Biologic Repository at Gerace Research Centre, San Salvador Island, Bahamas).
This species is also known as Eustrombus gigas, Lobatus gigas, and Aliger gigas.
The gastropods (snails & slugs) are a group of molluscs that occupy marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Most gastropods have a calcareous external shell (the snails). Some lack a shell completely, or have reduced internal shells (the slugs & sea slugs & pteropods). Most members of the Gastropoda are marine. Most marine snails are herbivores (algae grazers) or predators/carnivores.
The queen conch, Strombus gigas, is a large gastropod that occupies shallow-water to moderately shallow-water seagrass beds, sandy seafloors, and rubbly seafloors. It occurs in tropical to subtropical areas of the western Atlantic Basin, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea.
Classification: Animalia, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Strombidae
Locality: San Salvador Island, eastern Bahamas
--------------
More info. at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobatus_gigas
Tags: Strombus gigas queen conch snail San Salvador Island Bahamas snails gastropod gastropods
Strombus gigas Linnaeus, 1758 - queen conch shell (apical view) (specimen housed in the Biologic Repository at Gerace Research Centre, San Salvador Island, Bahamas).
This species is also known as Eustrombus gigas, Lobatus gigas, and Aliger gigas.
The gastropods (snails & slugs) are a group of molluscs that occupy marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Most gastropods have a calcareous external shell (the snails). Some lack a shell completely, or have reduced internal shells (the slugs & sea slugs & pteropods). Most members of the Gastropoda are marine. Most marine snails are herbivores (algae grazers) or predators/carnivores.
The queen conch, Strombus gigas, is a large gastropod that occupies shallow-water to moderately shallow-water seagrass beds, sandy seafloors, and rubbly seafloors. It occurs in tropical to subtropical areas of the western Atlantic Basin, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea.
Classification: Animalia, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Strombidae
Locality: San Salvador Island, eastern Bahamas
--------------
More info. at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobatus_gigas
Tags: Strombus gigas queen conch snail San Salvador Island Bahamas snails gastropod gastropods
Strombus gigas Linnaeus, 1758 - abapertural view of a juvenile queen conch shell, 2.9 cm tall.
This species is also known as Eustrombus gigas, Lobatus gigas, and Aliger gigas.
Family Strombidae - conchs occupy shallow-water to moderately deep-water seagrass beds, sandy seafloors, and rubbly seafloors.
Tags: Strombus gigas queen conch snail San Salvador Island Bahamas snails gastropod gastropods