conchshell

Conchshell refers to the shell of large sea snails in the family Strombidae, commonly called conchs. The best known is the queen conch (Lobatus gigas, formerly Strombus gigas), native to tropical Western Atlantic and Caribbean waters. Several other species across the Indo-Pacific also produce similarly large, sculptured shells.

Conchs shells are thick, heavy, and spiraled, with a high, rounded spire and a long, often curved siphonal canal. The outer surface is usually smooth or ornamented with ridges and variable color patterns, while the interior is nacreous and frequently pink or pearly. The aperture is elongated and the outer lip may be thickened in adults.

Conchs inhabit warm, shallow seas, often in seagrass beds or sandy substrates up to several meters deep. Reproduction involves separate sexes; females release spawn that hatches into free-swimming larvae (veligers) before settling as juvenile snails.

Conch shells are harvested for food (the meat, especially for the queen conch), but the shells are also valued for crafts, jewelry, and as wind instruments, notably the conch horn used in Caribbean and Pacific cultures. Shell trade and habitat loss have reduced some populations.

Because of overharvesting and habitat degradation, queen conch populations have declined in many areas. International trade is regulated under CITES Appendix II, and many countries impose harvest limits, size restrictions, and seasonal closures to promote sustainable harvesting.