Florida Horse Conch (Pleuroplaca gigantea): A Baby Specimen

The Florida Horse Conch is the official state shell of Florida. The adult shell is orangish, cream, or brown on the exterior, with a thin brown periostracum (or scaly covering). The spindle-shaped shell has an orangey-red aperture (opening). The snail inside is a brick-red color. It feeds voraciously on bivalves and other snails.

The Florida Horse Conch and another snail, the Australian Trumpet (Syrinx araunus) share the honor of being the two largest univalves (or gastropods) in the world. The Florida Horse Conch can be as tall as 2 feet, and is very heavy. It is found from North Carolina shores to Florida, and west to the beaches of Mexico.

Notes

The shell pictured here was found at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
For more information on the Coquina see:
- R. Tucker Abbott and Percy A. Morris, Peterson Field Guides: Shells of the Atlantic & Gulf Coasts & the West Indies.
- Carol M. Williams, Beach Bountiful: Southeast.
Classification: Family Fasciolariidae; Superfamily Muricoidea; Superorder Neogastropoda, Order Caenogastropoda.
Scientific nomenclature is subject to change, due to ongoing research. The above classification coincides with that published by the Conchologists of America, Inc.
Digital formatting is by Jonathan Mitchell.

Florida Horse Conch:Tiny “Foal,” Big Horse

Notes

Florida Horse Conch:
Tiny “Foal,” Big Horse