Description
This
is a large snail that
may reach a length of
24 inches. The young have
a pale orange shell with
a thin brown covering.
In adults the brown periostricum
thickens and becomes an
obvious feature coating
the shell. It produces
distinctive egg capsules
that are attached to a
firm surface.
The
horse conch is a voracious
carnivore and feeds
on other mollusks, including
oysters. The thick,
sculptured lip is used
to chip a hole in the
prey’s shell and
allow the proboscis
to be inserted.
It
is found on both coasts
of Florida from the
estuary down to a depth
of 100 feet. It ranges
throughout the southeastern
United States, Texas
and Mexico, but is more
common in Florida.
The
horse conch has been
designated the Florida
state shell. The designation
of this shell was the
direct result of the
efforts of members of
the Palm Beach County
Shell Club, their friends,
and State Representative
William G. James of
Delray Beach. The resulting
House Bill (#568) was
approved by a vote of
89 to 4 on May 23, 1969
and subsequently signed
into law by then Governor
Claude Kirk on June
18th, 1969. Representative
James gave much of the
credit for passage of
the bill to the Palm
Beach County Shell Club
for its work in providing
shells (and information
about the species) for
the desk of each legislator
on the day the bill
appeared on the calendar
for vote. The pen used
by the governor to sign
the bill was subsequently
presented to the club
in recognition of its
work. [reference is
http://www.jaxshells.org/pleuropl.htm
] |
