In today’s episode we’re talking about the mysterious and massive horse conch, Florida’s state shell. We will discuss the meaning behind its common and scientific name, what it looks like, where it’s found, research on population numbers, some fascinating behaviors and benefits of this species, and of course, what each of us can do to help support our state shell, the horse conch.

Learn More:

• VIDEO: Giant Horse Conch & Burglar Hermit Crabs (Blue Planet, BBC Earth) - https://youtu.be/P_hBp1sEwfs?si=Du1L_g7JXjSoN7n7

• Shell of the Week: The Horse Conch - https://shellmuseum.org/blog/shell-of-the-week-the-horse-conch/

• Sea Wonder: Horse Conch - https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/sea-wonder-horse-conch/

How You Can Help:

• Support your local National Marine Sanctuary - https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/

• Document sightings on iNaturalist - https://www.inaturalist.org/

• Visit and support the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, host of the largest horse conch in the world - https://shellmuseum.org/

• Participate in beach cleanups and local restoration projects, and support organizations working to protect Florida's waterways.

Sources:

• Age and growth of one of the world’s largest carnivorous gastropods, the Florida Horse Conch, Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840), a target of unregulated, intense harvest - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265095

• Sea Wonder: Horse Conch - https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/sea-wonder-horse-conch/

• Mighty, the Horse Conch - https://shellmuseum.org/blog/mighty-the-horse-conch/