Fighting Conch?

[Donya]

I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with IDing different species of conches that are related to or fall under the label "fighting conch"? Specifically young individuals of the species? I found one today that's taking me in circles trying to ID it.

I didn't manage measure it because it kept jabbing me with its barb (plucky little thing!!) but it's about 1-inch in spire length.

The problem I'm having is that the eyes don't structurally match what I've seen on "fighting conch" species. Different colored iris, and what looks like an extra ring around the iris. The actual "eye" itself is much smaller than I would have expected for a "fighting conch". I guess it's possible that the eyes are an abnormality, but I've seen about every eye/tentacle mutation and deformity that occurs commonly in snails...it's usually in the form of multiple eyes (I have another conch with 3 eyes ), lack of eyes, or an eye bud that doesn't emerge properly, etc. The extra eye ring and whatnot doesn't really fit that trend, and conch eyes are different from species to species that I've seen so far...so maybe it is a useful identifier?

I checked out the Strombidae listings on www.gastropods.com as well, but not all species listed there have juvinile specimens shown.

 

[steelhealr]

It certainly looks like one. SH

 

[Donya]

Any idea what species it is though? There are several under the label "fighting conch".

 

[Opcn]

IDing species like that is hard work and I doubt anyone on TFF has the expertise to do so. Does it matter what exact species it is though?

 

[Navarre]

I agree. Some are so difficult to tell apart it would need disection to verify it.

 

[Donya]

Knowing what I do of gastropod classification, juvinile shell shape and external characteristics should be plenty to identify it. I take it no one knows of a resource, be it book or otherwise, that has juvinile specimens shown alongside adults? If nobody knows offhand what species it is, then all I need is a reference with juvinile shells from the genus Strombus and I can figure it out with enough effort.

The exact species is important to me for several reasons...
- variation in diet (my Strombus luhuanus is not a detrivore, contrary to literature on Strombus)
- maximum size/expected growth rate
- nice to know if I get others if I have the same species or a different one (I do breed gastropods...)
- and I've been studying snails for 3 years and like to have these things marked down because I'm persnickity lol.

 

[Aquascaper]

And I thought snails were just slugs with homes

Whatever floats your boat I guess

 

[Donya]

Aw common, how can you not love slimey animals that wave hi to the camera...

Slugs are the same if you can get past the fact that some have a tendency to freak out and turn themselves into a a big ball of mucous when touched

 

[Aquascaper]

After owning a Snowflake Moray that used to munch on any snails in my tank I tended not to get too attached