West Indian Fighting Conch

West Indian Fighting Conch
Name: West Indian Fighting Conch
Scientific Name: Strombus pugilis
Family: Conchs
Scientific Family: Strombidae
Source: WoRMS AphiaID 419695
Size: up to 5 in.
Depth Range: In shallow waters (0 – 15 ft.)
Sightings: Not usually seen

This Conch has an orange to brown shell with nodules or knobs, which are especially large and pointed on the final whorl. The opening has an angled upper edge, giving it a slightly tilted look.

The Florida Fighting Conch lives in shallow areas with sand or sea grass. It crawls slowly across the bottom and is often seen partly buried. It feeds on algae and bits of decaying material found on the seafloor. Although called a fighting conch, it is not aggressive by nature. Males only occasionally engage in brief shell-rubbing during mating to establish dominance.