Triplofusus giganteus

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Triplofusus giganteus
Pleuroploca gigantea.jpg
In situ, note the orange soft parts
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Neogastropoda
Family: Fasciolariidae
Genus: Triplofusus
Species:
T. giganteus
Binomial name
Triplofusus giganteus
(Kiener, 1840)
Synonyms [1]
  • Fasciolaria giganteaKiener, 1840
  • Fasciolaria papillosa f. elongataStrebel, 1911
  • Fasciolaria papillosa f. reeveiJonas, 1850
  • Fasciolaria papillosajuvenisStrebel, 1911
  • Fasciolaria reeveiJonas, 1850
  • Pleuroploca giganteaKiener, 1840
  • Triplofusus papillosusauct.

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. [1] On average, it weighs over 11 pounds (5.0 kg). [2]

Contents

Although known as a horse conch, this is not a true conch, as it is not in the family Strombidae.

With a shell length that can reach 60 centimetres (24 in), this species is the largest gastropod in United States waters, [3] and one of the largest gastropods in the world.

Taxonomy

Triplofusus giganteus was named by Louis Charles Kiener in 1840, originally as Fasciolaria gigantea. The species was subsequently assigned to Pleuroploca. The genus name Triplofusus was proposed for it in 1953. T. giganteus has also been known by the name Fasciolaria papillosa, which was named by George Brettingham Sowerby I in 1825, but it is impossible to confirm what species this name originally applied to, due to the brevity of the original description and loss of the type specimen. [4]

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]

Anatomy

Triplofusus giganteus is the largest species of snail in North America. It has been hypothesized that female individuals reach larger sizes than males. [5] 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

Triplofusus giganteus at the National Museum (Prague) Fasciolariidae - Triplofusus giganteus.JPG
Triplofusus giganteus at the National Museum (Prague)

The largest known specimen of Triplofusus giganteus had a shell 604.8 millimetres (23.81 in) long. [6] However, populations have declined in size in recent years due to overharvesting; the largest individuals observed in various recent surveys have had shells ranging from 341 to 400 millimetres (13.4 to 15.7 in). [7]

The outline of the shell is somewhat fusiform, with a long siphonal canal, and having up to 10 whorls. [3] 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]

Ecology

A horse conch feeding on the queen conch, Lobatus gigas, in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Pleuroploca eats Lobatus gigas.jpg
A horse conch feeding on the queen conch, Lobatus gigas , in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

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. They are found at depths ranging from 0 to 100 m. [8]

Feeding habits

Triplofusus giganteus is a predator, with a diet that consists primarily of large gastropods, [9] such as tulip shell ( Fasciolaria tulipa ), the lightning whelk ( Sinistrofulgur perversum ), and the queen conch ( Lobatus gigas ) as well as some Murex species. [10] [11] T. giganteus rarely eats bivalves, even when they are readily available, with the exception of pen shells in the genus Atrina , which can comprise 20% of its diet. [9] It has been observed (in an aquarium setting) to eat small hermit crabs of the species Clibanarius vittatus .[ citation needed ] Cannibalism has been documented in captive T. giganteus, but only seems to occur in individuals that have been deprived of sufficient food. [12]

Reproduction

Female T. giganteus probably attain reproductive maturity at an age of six or seven years and shell length of 200 to 250 mm. [13] In a single spawning event, a female can lay up to 400 egg capsules, each of which can contain 70 offspring. [14] However, spawning events are infrequent and individuals probably only live a few years after attaining reproductive maturity. [15]

Predators

T. giganteus are commonly eaten by tiger sharks. [16]

Parasites

Parasites of Triplofusus giganteus include trematode Lophotaspis vallei . [17]

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.

Conservation

Populations of T. giganteus are in decline, [14] and because of the rarity of their spawning events they are vulnerable to population collapse. [18]

Related Research Articles

<i>Fasciolaria</i> Genus of gastropods

Tulip snail or tulip shell is the common name for eight species of large, predatory, subtropical and tropical sea snails from the Western Atlantic. These species are in the genus Fasciolaria. They are marine gastropod mollusks in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle shells, tulip shells and their allies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fasciolariidae</span> Family of gastropods

Fasciolariidae is a family of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Buccinoidea. Species in Fasciolariidae are commonly known as tulip snails and spindle snails.

<i>Strombus pugilis</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<i>Pleuroploca</i> Genus of gastropods

Pleuroploca is a genus of very large predatory sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Fasciolariidae, which includes the spindle shells, the tulip shells and other allied genera.

<i>Fasciolaria tulipa</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<i>Melongena corona</i> Species of gastropod

Melongena corona, common name the Florida crown conch, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Melongenidae, the crown conches and their allies.

<i>Turbinella angulata</i> Species of gastropod

Turbinella angulata, common name the West Indian chank shell or Lamp Shell, is a species of very large tropical sea snail with a gill and an operculum, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinellidae.

<i>Rhombinella laevigata</i> Species of mollusc

Rhombinella laevigata, common name the smooth dove shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails.

<i>Falsuszafrona pulchella</i> Species of gastropod

Falsuszafrona pulchella is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails.

<i>Cinctura hunteria</i> Species of gastropod

Cinctura hunteria, the northern banded tulip, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, the tulip snails and their allies.

<i>Triplofusus</i> Genus of gastropods

Triplofusus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, the tulip snails and their allies.

<i>Phrontis antillara</i> Species of gastropod

Phrontis antillara, common name the Antilles nassa, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.

<i>Phrontis vibex</i> Species of gastropod

Phrontis vibex, common name the bruised nassa, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.

<i>Volvarina abbreviata</i> Species of gastropod

Volvarina abbreviata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Marginellidae, the margin snails.

<i>Hinea lineata</i> Species of gastropod

Hinea lineata, common name the dwarf Atlantic planaxis, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Planaxidae.

<i>Distorsio perdistorta</i> Species of gastropod

Distorsio perdistorta, common name the bristly distorsio, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Personidae, the Distortio snails.

<i>Cinctura</i> Genus of gastropods

Cinctura is a genus of fasciolariid sea snails known as the banded tulip shells. Species in this genus were previously grouped in the closely related genus Fasciolaria.

<i>Buccinanops cochlidium</i> Species of gastropod

Buccinanops cochlidium, common name the gradated bullia, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.

<i>Acteocina bullata</i> Species of gastropod

Acteocina bullata, common name the striate barrel bubble, is a species of small sea snail, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Acteocinidae, the barrel bubble snails.

Harry G. Lee was an American shell collector and physician. Over the course of his life, Lee named 36 species of Mollusca and has had 18 others named for him. He was considered one of the top amateur experts in the field of mollusks. He donated his extensive collection, one of the world's largest, to the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida.

References

  1. 1 2 Rosenberg, G. (2018). Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840). In: MolluscaBase (2018). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=420051 on 2021-07-02
  2. ↑ "Hermit Crab vs. Conch | World's Deadliest". Nat Geo Wild. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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
  4. ↑ Lyons & Lee 2018.
  5. ↑ Herbert et al. 2022, p. 10.
  6. ↑ Herbert et al. 2022, p. 3.
  7. ↑ Herbert et al. 2022, p. 12.
  8. ↑ Rosenberg, Moretzsohn & García 2009, p. 654.
  9. 1 2 Paine 1963, p. 67.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ Toller, W.; Lewis, K-A. (2003). Queen Conch Strombus gigas (PDF). U.S.V.I. Animal Fact Sheet. Vol. 19. U.S.V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-08-16.
  12. ↑ Dietl 2003, p. 759.
  13. ↑ Herbert et al. 2022, p. 11.
  14. 1 2 Herbert et al. 2022, p. 2.
  15. ↑ Herbert et al. 2022, pp. 11–12.
  16. ↑ Baughman & Springer 1950, p. 102.
  17. ↑ Alevs, Philippe V.; Vieira, Fabiano M.; Santos, Cláudia P.; Scholz, Tomáš; Luque, José L. (2015-02-12). "A Checklist of the Aspidogastrea (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) of the World". Zootaxa. 3918 (3): 339–96. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3918.3.2. ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   25781098.
  18. ↑ Herbert et al. 2022, p. 13.

Works cited

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