Photo by Joyce and Frank Burek

The queen conch is grey with long eyestalks and a large tube-like mouth that is known as a proboscis. Its shell is pinkish on the inside and orangish on the exterior, which is usually covered with algae and debris. This species normally grows to between 6 and 9 inches, but has been known to reach as large as 12 inches. The queen conch is found in sea grass beds and on sand flats at depths between 3 and 100 feet.

Queen Conch
(Strombus gigas)

	Bahamas, Caribbean, and Florida
	Sea grass beds and sandy flats; usually near patch reefs
	Algae
The status of this species is representative of the populations within the waters of this Sanctuary only, not global populations.
	The queen conch has a claw-like operculum, which is used to seal the opening of the shell when the conch completely retreats inside.
	- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology - Traffic International