The Queen Conch (Aliger gigas) is a large edible sea snail. It has a very large, solid, and heavy shell with knob-like spines on the shoulder. Other characteristics are a flared, thick outer lip, pink or orange aperture, and a sandy exterior that helps to blend with the surroundings. They are native to the Caribbean Sea, and found in the tropical northwestern Atlantic, from Bermuda to Brazil. As a herbivore the Queen Conch feeds by browsing for plant and algal material that grows in seagrass beds. It will also scavenge for decaying plant matter.
Queen Conchs have a length between 6”-12” (15.2-30.5 cm), width from 5.12”-9.84” (13-25 cm), height of 4.33”-9.06” (11-23 cm), and weight in the range of 3-5 lb (1.36-2.27 kg). The typical lifespan of the Queen Conch is 20-40 years.
The Queen Conch (Aliger gigas) is a large edible sea snail. It has a very large, solid, and heavy shell with knob-like spines on the shoulder. Other characteristics are a flared, thick outer lip, pink or orange aperture, and a sandy exterior that helps to blend with the surroundings. They are native to the Caribbean Sea, and found in the tropical northwestern Atlantic, from Bermuda to Brazil. As a herbivore the Queen Conch feeds by browsing for plant and algal material that grows in seagrass beds. It will also scavenge for decaying plant matter.
Queen Conchs have a length between 6”-12” (15.2-30.5 cm), width from 5.12”-9.84” (13-25 cm), height of 4.33”-9.06” (11-23 cm), and weight in the range of 3-5 lb (1.36-2.27 kg). The typical lifespan of the Queen Conch is 20-40 years.