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174 A?7ierican Seashells
3 to 4 inches in length. Always with spines on the last whorl, but those
on the next to the last whorl are nearly always the largest. Shoulder of
outer lip nearly always turns slightly upwards. Color a rich cream-orange
to salmon-pink throughout, except for a cobalt-blue splotch of color on the
end of the canal. Periostracum very thin and velvety. This is primarily a
West Indian species, and apparently will not interbreed with the mainland
species, S. alatus. An aberrant form which has club-like spines was unneces-
sarily named sloani Leach 1814 and pecidiaris M. Smith 1940. Percy Morris'
colored figure (1951, pi. 19, fig. 9)
is not pugilis, but alatus.
Strombus alatus Gmelin Florida Fighting Conch
South Carolina to both sides of Florida and to Texas.
Plate 5h
3 to 4 inches in length. With or without short spines on the shoulder
of the last whorl. Shoulder of outer lip slopes slightly downward. Color
a dark reddish brown, often mottled with orange-brown or having zigzag
bars of color on the shiny parietal wall. Periostracum very thin and velvety.
A very common shallow water species, especially on the west coast of Florida.
Not found in the West Indies. Do not confuse with 5. pugilis.
Strombus gigas Linne Queen Conch
Southeast Florida and the West Indies. Bermuda.
Plate 23a
6 to 1 2 inches in length. Characterized by its large size, large and flaring
outer lip, and the rich pinks, yellows and orange shades in the aperture. Periostracum
fairly thick and horny. It flakes off in dried specimens. A malform
with flattened spines was named borridus M. Smith. A form with a deep chan-
nel at the suture occasionally turns up in the Bahamas. It was named canali-
culatus L. Burry. S. gigas verrilli McGinty is a form of questionable value
described from Lake Worth, Florida. Very common in the West Indies,
becoming uncommon in the Florida Keys from over-fishing. Also called the
Pink Conch.
Strombus costatus Gmelin Milk Conch
Southeast Florida and the West Indies.
Plate 23b
4 to 7 inches in length. Shell very heavy usually, and with low, blunt
spines. Parietal wall and thick outer lip highly glazed with cream-white
enamel. Outer shell a yellowish white. The periostracum in dried specimens
flakes off. Common in the West Indies. 5. spectabilis A. H. Verrill is this
species.