Snail ID??

[3mm3]

Hello I have in the past stocked my tank with jumbo nassarius and normal nassarius snails. Well I found this guy in the sand. To me it looks like the jumbo nassarius Except the shell is black? Is this a jumbo nassarius with a different color shell or do I have something else. One more thing, all of the snails that I have purchased have had the white shells.
Thanks

 

[coralfever]

yep, looks like the jumbo nassarius. The shells will change color IME.

 

[pagojoe]

I don't know that the shells will change color, but they are variable in color. That said, it appears there are at least two different species that are being sold as Jumbo Nassarius or Tongan Nassarius. The white ones with scattered dark markings at the shoulder and a broad columellar shield are Nassarius arcularius. They are usually mostly white, though you may encounter some darker morphs. The other species, Nassarius coronatus, is more variable in color, ranging from white to brown to red to almost black, and has a columellar shield on the ventrum that isn't as broad or as complete as the one found on N. arcularius. Without seeing the aperture, I think this one is N. coronatus.

http://www.gastropods.com/9/Shell_1159.html

http://www.gastropods.com/0/Shell_160.html

Cheers,



Don