help with snail id

[corywilson]

i posted this in my local club forum and no one has had any idea.

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3937

 

[graveyardworm]

Can you post the picture or a direct link to it here? In order to view it from its location you need to be a registered member of the Atlanta reef club, atleast thats the message I'm getting.

 

[corywilson]

my bad

 

[graveyardworm]

Sorry there isnt enough detail for me to even guess. Perhaps someone else might be able to. Pics of the snail away from the LR would be good, and if you can a good photo showing the aperture with the snail withdrawn.

 

[pagojoe]

Hi Cory,

It's a turban snail. From a single dorsal view it's hard to give you a positive ID, but it looks to be one of several Indo-Pacific species. Most likely it is Turbo argyrostomus, but it may be a juvenile Turbo crassus. Both of these have a silvery white aperture. If it has a gold mouth, it is Turbo chrysostomus. Less likely but possible is a juvenile of the great green turban, Turbo marmoratus. If it is this last species, the aperture will be comparatively huge, as will the operculum.

http://www.gastropods.com/4/Shell_1514.html
(don't mind the "horns," most specimens are smoother like yours)

The photo on gastropods.com of Turbo crassus isn't that species, so I won't include that link.

http://www.gastropods.com/9/Shell_249.html

http://www.gastropods.com/0/Shell_250.html

Cheers,



Don

 

[pagojoe]

By the way, Turbo crassus looks fairly similar to Turbo marmoratus, except that the aperture and operculum are a lot smaller (comparable to the other species linked above). They also don't get nearly as large, maxing at about 4 inches across, while Turbo marmoratus may approach 8 inches across.



Don

 

[corywilson]

thanks for the info. i read about these snails and it seems they eat algae and diatoms, which means they should be alright to put in my tank.

i'm going to take the plunge and toss him in this weekend unless i hear differently.

thanks again for the help.

 

[pagojoe]

You're right, he should be fine in your tank. If he lives long enough he may eventually be large enough to bulldoze things around in your aquarium, but that happens with any large snail.

Cheers,



Don