Gastropods · Neogastropoda · Fasciolariidae

Horse Conch

Pleuroploca gigantea

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

The largest sea snail in the Atlantic and one of the largest gastropods in the world, with spindle-shaped shells exceeding 60 cm and a foot of intense orange. It is a predator that hunts other large molluscs, wrapping them in its foot before devouring them. It is currently known by the scientific name Triplofusus giganteus.

Size

20 cm – 60 cm

Lifespan

16 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

OceanCarnivore Solitary Ocean Mollusc

4countries 8parks 23dive sites

Fun facts

Sclerochronology studies using stable isotopes show that it lives only some 16 years and that the females do not begin breeding until 6 or 7, so that collecting the largest individuals removes precisely the breeders.
It has been the official state shell of Florida since 1969.
Cases of cannibalism between individuals have been documented.
It is the largest marine snail in United States waters and one of the largest in the world: its shell exceeds 60 cm.
It is a predator of other molluscs, including large snails and bivalves, which it wraps in its foot and forces open.
It is also a cannibal: it feeds on smaller individuals of its own species.
Its foot is an intense orange-red, in contrast with the brown shell, and is very striking when the animal is active.
It is the official state shell of Florida.
Its egg capsules are large, complex structures, attached to the substrate in clusters reminiscent of a bouquet.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Invertebrate - external calcareous shell (mollusc)
Habitat & environment: Seagrass meadows and sandy and muddy bottoms, from 0 to 100 m
Sexual maturity: 6-7 years

Sources consulted: Smithsonian Marine Station; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Abbott, American Seashells