Triplofusus Olsson & Harbison 1953

United States, Florida, Sugar Loaf Key, on mud flat at low tide, collected 5th December 1970, ex coll. J.G.B. Nieuwenhuis. Image by Joop Trausel and Frans Slieker

North Palm Beach, Florida, United States

Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)

The Florida Horse Conch, Triplofusus giganteus, is the second largest gastropod in the world and the largest in the Atlantic Ocean. Its shell can grow to over 60 cm (24 in) long. The animal is colored bright orange, and there is a large operculum closing the aperture (as seen in the photo). At University Beach it seldon grows larger than 20 cm (8 in), and most shells are inhabited by crabs. The shell in the photo has a white polychaete tube around it. Larger shells are often paler orange in color. This species is known in older literature as Pleroploca gigantea. Learn more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Summary[edit] Description: English: Natural colored Triplofusus giganteus shell alongside an albino variant Collected from Gulf of Mexico and Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon, Monroe County, Florida, USA. On display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Date: 9 November 2021, 11:14:17. Source: Own work. Author: Eric Polk. Camera location29° 43′ 18.77″ N, 95° 23′ 22.07″ W View all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap 29.721880; -95.389463.

Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)

Summary[edit] Description: Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840) - living Florida horse conch (public signage, Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA) The gastropods (snails & slugs) are a group of molluscs that occupy marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Most gastropods have a calcareous external shell (the snails). Some lack a shell completely, or have reduced internal shells (the slugs & sea slugs & pteropods). Most members of the Gastropoda are marine. Most marine snails are herbivores (algae grazers) or predators/carnivores. From museum signage: "Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener 1840) Horse conch This is the largest gastropod found in the USA and in the entire Atlantic Ocean. It may grow to be 60 cm (24 inches) long. In addition, its celebrity status is enhanced by the fact that it is the official Florida state shell. It can be found living on sand bars and shallow bay areas of Southwest Florida and vicinities. The horse conch is a top predator, feeding on other gastropods, such as lightning whelks, tulips, and fighting conchs." Classification: Animalia, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Neogastropoda, Fasciolariidae More info. at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triplofusus_giganteus. Date: 2 January 2016, 15:59. Source: Triplofusus giganteus (Florida horse conch) 5. Author: James St. John.

Florida Horse Conchs, Triplofusus giganteus (also called by its older name, Pleuroploca gigantea) are common at University Beach, but usually only one of a few are observed at a time. During this visit, I observed a number of live Horse Conchs with their bright orange foot, at low tide. Crabbed shells are more common in this location. The largest one I've seen here was about 200 mm long (8 in). See more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)

Summary[edit] Description: Photographed in the Sea Shell Museum Phuket Triplofusus giganteus. Date: 15 February 2016, 09:15:54. Source: Own work. Author: Amada44.

Florida Horse Conchs, Triplofusus giganteus (also called by its older name, Pleuroploca gigantea) are common at University Beach, but usually only one of a few are observed at a time. During this visit, I observed a number of live Horse Conchs with their bright orange foot, at low tide. Crabbed shells are more common in this location. The largest one I've seen here was about 200 mm long (8 in). See more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Summary[edit] Description: English: The shell of Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)[1]; in the 20th century named Pleuroploca gigantea; the largest snail in north-american coasts, reaching 60 centimeters in length, and popularly named Florida Horse Conch. Specimen collected in West Indies. Specimen in edited white background and with more bright colors than in their original photograph. ABBOTT, R. Tucker; DANCE, S. Peter (1982). Compendium of Seashells. A color Guide to More than 4.200 of the World's Marine Shells. New York: E. P. Dutton. p. 182. 412 pp. ISBN 0-525-93269-0. Date: 1 September 2021. Source: Original filed on Wikimedia Commons. Author: Naturalis Biodiversity Center.

Florida Horse Conchs, Triplofusus giganteus (also called by its older name, Pleuroploca gigantea) are common at University Beach, but usually only one of a few are observed at a time. During this visit, I observed a number of live Horse Conchs with their bright orange foot, at low tide. Crabbed shells are more common in this location. The largest one I've seen here was about 200 mm long (8 in). See more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)

Florida Horse Conchs, Triplofusus giganteus (also called by its older name, Pleuroploca gigantea) are common at University Beach, but usually only one of a few are observed at a time. During this visit, I observed a number of live Horse Conchs with their bright orange foot, at low tide. Crabbed shells are more common in this location. The largest one I've seen here was about 200 mm long (8 in). See more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)

Florida Horse Conchs, Triplofusus giganteus (also called by its older name, Pleuroploca gigantea) are common at University Beach, but usually only one of a few are observed at a time. During this visit, I observed a number of live Horse Conchs with their bright orange foot, at low tide. Crabbed shells are more common in this location. The largest one I've seen here was about 200 mm long (8 in). See more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)

Florida Horse Conchs, Triplofusus giganteus (also called by its older name, Pleuroploca gigantea) are common at University Beach, but usually only one of a few are observed at a time. During this visit, I observed a number of live Horse Conchs with their bright orange foot, at low tide. Crabbed shells are more common in this location. The largest one I've seen here was about 200 mm long (8 in). See more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Summary[edit] Description: English: Illustration of the giant seashell Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)[1], the biggest seashell in the Atlantic Ocean coasts. Edited background and size. Date: 2 September 2021. Source: Original file taken from Conchologia iconica, or, Illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals vol. 4; pl. V. (1847). (Biodiversity Heritage Library). Edited colors and size. Author: Reeve, Lovell Augustus.

Florida Horse Conchs, Triplofusus giganteus (also called by its older name, Pleuroploca gigantea) are common at University Beach, but usually only one of a few are observed at a time. During this visit, I observed a number of live Horse Conchs with their bright orange foot, at low tide. Crabbed shells are more common in this location. The largest one I've seen here was about 200 mm long (8 in). See more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)

Florida Horse Conchs, Triplofusus giganteus (also called by its older name, Pleuroploca gigantea) are common at University Beach, but usually only one of a few are observed at a time. During this visit, I observed a number of live Horse Conchs with their bright orange foot, at low tide. Crabbed shells are more common in this location. The largest one I've seen here was about 200 mm long (8 in). See more about this species at the Biodiversity of the Gulf of Mexico (BioGoMx) database at: http://gulfbase.org/biogomx/biospecies.php?species=Spp-33-0943

Summary[edit] Description: Triplofusus giganteus at the National Museum (Prague). Date: 15 September 2010. Source: Own work. Author: Hectonichus.