A conch (pronounced in the U.S.A. as "konk" or "konch", IPAEng: ˈkɒŋk or /ˈkɒntʃ/) is one of a number of different species of medium-sized to large saltwater snails or their shells. True conchs are marine gastropod mollusks in the family Strombidae, and the genus Strombus.

The name "conch" however, is often quite loosely applied in English-speaking countries to several kinds of very large sea snail shells which are pointed at both ends, i.e. shells which have a high spire and a noticeable siphonal canal. These other species include the crown conch Melongena species; the horse conch Pleuroploca gigantea; and the chank shell, Turbinella species. None of these are true conchs; they are all in other taxonomic families.

The true conch species within the genus Strombus vary in size from fairly small to very large. Several of the larger species such as Strombus gigas, the pink conch or queen conch, are economically important as food sources. Strombus gigas is also capable of producing (very rarely) a pink, gem quality pearl.

At least 65 species of Strombidae are extinct, and a much larger number of species exist only in the fossil record. Of the living species, most are in the Indo-Pacific Oceans. Six species live in the greater Caribbean region, including the Queen Conch, Strombus gigas, and the West Indian Fighting Conch, Strombus pugilis.

Many species of conch, such as the Queen Conch, live on sandy bottoms among beds of sea grass in warm tropical waters.

Strombus gigas is included in Appendix II of the UNEP's CITES list of endangered species, and international trade is heavily restricted.1

Anatomy

True conchs have long eye stalks, with colorful ring-marked eyes. The shell has a long and narrow aperture, and a short siphonal canal, with another indentation near the anterior end called a stromboid notch. This notch is where one of the two eye stalks protrudes from the shell.

The true conch has a foot ending in a pointed, sickle-shaped, operculum which can be dug into the substrate as part of an unusual "leaping" locomotion.

True conchs grow a flared lip on their shells only upon reaching sexual maturity. Animals which are harvested by fishermen before they reach this stage are juveniles, and have not had a chance to reproduce.

Conchs lay eggs in long, gelatinous strands.

Human use