Lambis lambis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Lambis lambis, also known as the common spider conch or scorpion conch, is a large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae (true conchs).
Current Status of Name :
This name is currently accepted taxonomically.
Rank : Species
Environment : Marine
Taxonomy Classification
- Kingdom : Animalia
- Phylum : Mollusca
- Class : Gastropoda
- Order : Littorinimorpha
- Family : Strombidae
- Genus : Lambis
- Species : Lambis lambis
Lambis lambis
Description :
Shell Morphology:
- Large and thick shell, reaching up to 30 cm in length
- Shell is elongated and flared, with a broadly expanded outer lip
- Outer lip is thick, flaring outwards and curved backward, with 6-8 long, hollow, curved spines or “claws”
- Spire is short and conical
- Shell surface is rough and covered with spiral ridges and nodes
- Color is pale brown or yellowish, with darker brown or reddish-brown streaks or mottling
Soft Body:
- Large muscular foot used for locomotion
- Long proboscis-like snout with a rasplike radula for grazing algae
- Two small eyestalks with eyes at the end
- Siphon near the posterior end for respiration
Habitat and Ecology:
- Found in shallow, tropical coral reef environments in the Indo-Pacific region
- Lives on sandy or rubble areas near reefs or seagrass beds
- Grazes on algae and seagrasses
- Relatively slow-moving and sedentary as an adult
- Larvae are free-swimming and planktonic before settling
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
- Males release sperm into the water, which females take in to fertilize their eggs internally
- Females lay egg masses in protective leathery cases attached to hard surfaces
- Free-swimming veliger larvae hatch and go through several developmental stages before metamorphosing into juvenile conches
Distribution:
- Widely distributed across the tropical Indo-Pacific region
- Found from the Red Sea and East Africa, across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia, northern Australia, and the western Pacific islands
- Range extends from the Arabian/Persian Gulf to Samoa and French Polynesia
Importance:
- Commonly collected as ornamental shells by shell enthusiasts and traders
- Shells are used in jewelry making and for decoration
- Some island cultures use the shells as tools, utensils or musical instruments
- An important ecological grazer helping to control algal growth on reefs
Conservation Status:
- Listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN
- However, over-collection and habitat degradation pose threats in some areas
The striking Spider Conch has a very broad distribution across the Indian and Pacific Ocean tropics, inhabiting coral reefs and related environments throughout this region.