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Black-lipped
conch
Canarium urceus
Family Strombidae
updated
Sep 2020
if you
learn only 3 things about them ...
 A
lively snail that hops instead of creeping along the surface.
Many
of its features are adaptations to this hopping lifestyle:
flared shell, large eyes.
It is listed among the threatened animals of Singapore. |
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Where
seen? This narrow conch with black lips is sometimes seen
in seagrass areas on our shores. Elsewhere, they are found on sand
or sandy mud bottoms, sometimes associated with sparse algae. Often
occurring in colonies. Intertidal and sublittoral zones to a depth
of about 40 m. It was previously known as Strombus urceus.
Features: 3-5cm long. Shell heavy thick,
long and narrow, lip slightly flared quite wavy. The flared
shell protects the long proboscis as the animal sweeps the bottom
for titbits. Upperside smooth often covered in silt and sometimes with encrusting plants and animals. Shell opening
is shiny black, although in some, this may appear as just a black border
around the edges of the shell's underside. Body greenish
sometimes with white or with beige spots. Large eyes on
eyestalks, each eyestalk has a tentacle, the purpose of which is not known. Like other conch snails, it hops using the knife-like operculum at the tip of a long muscular foot. |
Kusu Island, Jun 05
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Human uses: The snails are actively
collected in the Philippines and often sold in the markets of northern
Luzon. Shell frequently used to make decorative items.
Status and threats: The Black-lipped
conch is listed as 'Vulnerable' on the Red List of threatened animals
of Singapore. It used to be abundant in the 1970s. |
| Black-lipped
conch snails on Singapore shores |
| Other sightings on Singapore shores |
Tanah Merah, May 09
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his
blog. |
East Coast Park-Marina East, May 22
Photo
shared by Richard Kuah on facebook. |
Labrador, Nov 18
Photo
shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook. |
Pulau Tekukor, Jan 10
Photo shared by James Koh on his
flickr. |
Sentosa Serapong, May 23
Photo
shared by Kelvin Yong on facebook. |
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Lazarus (Eagle Bay), Nov 22
Photo
shared by James Koh on facebook. |
Lazarus Island, Feb 11
Photo
shared by James Koh on his
blog |
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Cyrene Reef, Feb 17
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on flickr. |
Terumbu Semakau, May 17
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on facebook. |
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Beting Bemban Besar, May 10
Photo shared by James Koh on his
blog. |
Beting Bemban Besar, May 11
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his
blog. |
Beting Bemban Besar, Mar 20
Photo shared by Kelvin Yong on facebook. |
Pulau Berkas, Feb 22
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook. |
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| Links
References
- Tan Siong
Kiat and Henrietta P. M. Woo, 2010 Preliminary
Checklist of The Molluscs of Singapore (pdf), Raffles
Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore.
- Tan, K. S.
& L. M. Chou, 2000. A
Guide to the Common Seashells of Singapore. Singapore
Science Centre. 160 pp.
- Abbott, R.
Tucker, 1991. Seashells
of South East Asia.
Graham Brash, Singapore. 145 pp.
- Davison,
G.W. H. and P. K. L. Ng and Ho Hua Chew, 2008. The Singapore
Red Data Book: Threatened plants and animals of Singapore.
Nature Society (Singapore). 285 pp.
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