Macrostrombus costatus | |
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Shells of Macrostrombus costatus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Littorinimorpha |
Family: | Strombidae |
Genus: | Macrostrombus |
Species: | M. costatus |
Binomial name | |
Macrostrombus costatus (Gmelin, 1791) | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Macrostrombus costatus, formerly known as Strombus costatus and Lobatus costatus, or commonly known as the milk conch, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs. [2] They are an edible species and important food source for the inhabitants of where they are found. Conchs are most notable for their medium to large-sized ornamental shells. Milk conchs are dispersed among the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, along the coasts and islands of North, Central, and South America.
This species occurs in the Caribbean Sea; the Gulf of Mexico and the Lesser Antilles; in the Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to East Brazil. Specifically in Central and South America, Macrostormbus costatus have been recorded along the coasts of Paraíba state of northeastern Brazil, [3] Venezuela, [4] Panama, [5] Bermuda, Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, [4] and Trinidad and Tobago. [2]
Macrostrombus costatus is a large species of sea snail with a thick shell. The shell of an adult milk conch can be distinguished by the high spire and flaring lip. [3] Te common name milk conch is derived from the milky, white interior coloration of the aperture and light cream exterior of its shell. In contrast, other conch species, such as Aliger gigas or Strombus pugilis , are known to have various shades of pink and red tones in the aperture and various patterns or colors on the external surface. [2] Milk conch eyes have rings that can range in colors from red, orange, yellow, to black. [3] An average M. costatus shell measures around 20 cm in length. The maximum recorded shell length is 23.1 cm. However, they are a smaller conch species compared to the more widely studied Aliger gigas, the queen conch, which can measure up to 31 cm. [5]
Macrostrombus costatus prefers shallow-water back reef habitats, such as algal banks, seagrass beds, and patch reefs, which provide them with shelter, protection, and food. [6] The habitat environment of a milk conch changes with its geographical location. In Paraiba, they have been seen at one meter under surface water, in areas of sand between patch reefs. [4] Whereas in Puerto Rico, they are mostly found in algal mats. In Panama, there is an overwhelming abundance of milk conch in seagrass meadows, where turtle and manatee grass dominates the flora. [5] Milk conch can inhabit depths varying between three meters to twenty meters. [2] Minimum recorded depth is 2 m. [7] Maximum recorded depth is 55 m. [7]
Macrostrombus costatus has external sex organs. Male milk conchs have a verge, while female milk conchs have an egg groove. [8] Milk conchs are oviparous. These marine gastropods begin to spawn in early November throughout the winter and spring seasons. Spawning comes to an end in May. They have been found to aggregate in groups to spawn in locations of open sand and deeper waters. [2]
Macrostrombus costatus begins its life developing inside eggs as planktonic larvae. The larvae, known as veligers, feed on different cultures of phytoplankton for nutrition to support growth. [4] Then, as a pelagic veliger, the milk conch reaches metamorphosis to a benthic snail in approximately 26–30 days after hatching. [4] [2] The development of the proboscis (contains part of the oral cavity and radula), the loss of velar lobes, and the eyes migrating outwards occur provide morphological evidence of metamorphosis. [2] Juvenile milk conchs have a distinguished conical shaped shell with tight whorls and green-colored proboscis. At this stage, they begin grazing on algae via their proboscis. [2] Crustaceans, such as crabs and lobsters are their main predators when they are juvenile. [2]
Macrostrombus costatus is a herbivorous marine gastropod. [2] As veligers, they consume phytoplankton. As adult snails, they feed mostly on algae. [2]
Macrostrombus costatus is fished for its meat and ornamental shell along the tropical Atlantic regions. [6] [5] The species has commercial importance, especially in the Caribbean, but the total catch volume has not been estimated. [4] It is believed that Macrostrombus costatus is overfished. [4] Therefore, there may be a major decline in the species populations. In Panama, there are no current regulations on the harvesting of milk conch. [5] The conservation status of the species is unknown, due to lack of research.
Triplofusus giganteus, commonly known as the Florida horse conch, or the giant 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. On average, it weighs over 11 pounds.
Strombidae, commonly known as the true conchs, is a taxonomic family of medium-sized to very large sea snails in the superfamily Stromboidea, and the Epifamily Neostromboidae. The term true conchs, being a common name, does not have an exact meaning. It may generally refer to any of the Strombidae but sometimes is used more specifically to include only Strombus and Lambis. The family currently includes 26 extant, and 10 extinct genera.
Aliger gigas, originally known as Strombus gigas or more recently as Lobatus gigas, commonly known as the queen conch, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family of true conches, the Strombidae. This species is one of the largest molluscs native to the Caribbean Sea, and tropical northwestern Atlantic, from Bermuda to Brazil, reaching up to 35.2 centimetres (13.9 in) in shell length. A. gigas is closely related to the goliath conch, Lobatus goliath, a species endemic to Brazil, as well as the rooster conch, Aliger gallus.
Strombus is a genus of medium to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Strombidae, which comprises the true conchs and their immediate relatives. The genus Strombus was named by Swedish Naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Around 50 living species were recognized, which vary in size from fairly small to very large. Six species live in the greater Caribbean region, including the queen conch, Strombus gigas, and the West Indian fighting conch, Strombus pugilis. However, since 2006, many species have been assigned to discrete genera. These new genera are, however, not yet found in most textbooks and collector's guides.
The Stromboidea, originally named the Strombacea by Rafinesque in 1815, is a superfamily of medium-sized to very large sea snails in the clade Littorinimorpha.
Strombus pugilis, common names the fighting conch and the West Indian fighting conch, is a species of medium to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Lentigo lentiginosus, the silver conch, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Laevistrombus canarium is a species of edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Strombidae. Known from illustrations in books dating from the late 17th century, L. canarium is an Indo-Pacific species occurring from India and Sri Lanka to Melanesia, Australia and southern Japan. The shell of adult individuals is coloured from light yellowish-brown to golden to grey. It has a characteristic inflated body whorl, a flared, thick outer lip, and a shallow stromboid notch. The shell is valued as an ornament, and because it is heavy and compact, it is also often used as a sinker for fishing nets.
Lobatus raninus, common name the hawk-wing conch, is a species of medium to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Lobatus is a genus of very large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Strombidae, the true conchs. Some of the species within this genus were previously placed in the genus Eustrombus.
Strombus alatus, the Florida fighting conch, is a species of medium-sized, warm-water sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs. Its name derives two Latin words. Strombus means, in Latin, a snail with spiral shell, which derives from the Greek στρόμβος, meaning anything turned or spun around, like a top or, as in Aristotle's Historia Animalium, a sea snail. Alatus means, in Latin, "winged".
Conomurex luhuanus, commonly known as the strawberry conch or tiger conch, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs. C. luhuanus is found in sandy habitat among corals in the Indopacific region. They feed on algae or detritus, move with a modified foot, and have complex eyes compared to other gastropods.
Fasciolaria tulipa, common name the true tulip, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fasciolariidae. This fiercely predatory species occupies a wide geographic area within the Western Atlantic and is known, along with the other Fasciolariids, for the superficial resemblance their shells possess to a closed tulip flower.
Titanostrombus goliath, previously known as Lobatus goliath and Strombus goliath, common name the goliath conch, is a species of very large edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs. T. goliath is one of the largest mollusks of the Western Atlantic Ocean, and also one of the largest species among the Strombidae. It was once considered endemic to Brazil, but specimens have also been recently found in the waters of Barbados. Brazilian common names for this species include búzio de chapéu or búzio, and búzio de aba or buzo in. Some phylogenetic hypotheses consider T. goliath as closely related to the queen conch, Aliger gigas.
Aliger gallus, previously known as Strombus gallus, common name the rooster conch or rooster-tail conch, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Terestrombus terebellatus, common name : the little auger conch, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Aliger is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Strombus gracilior, common names the Eastern Pacific fighting conch, or the Panama fighting conch, is a species of medium to large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Titanostrombus galeatus, commonly known as the Eastern Pacific giant conch, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs and their allies.
Lobatus peruvianus, commonly known as the Peruvian conch or the cock's comb conch, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs and their allies.