Snail ID

[cheeks69]

Trying to ID this snail...they're prime suspects in the murder of a Tridacna. These were caught by a friend in a trip to Mexico. Any info on the would be appreciated. TIA

 

[NaH2O]

Robert - Were these snails found in/on the clam? I can tell they aren't a species of strombus because I can make out the small eye on one of the snails (2nd image, bottom snail). I almost thought they resembled Nassarius sp., but I'm not sure at all. Let me do some digging and see what I can come up with. Any other info? Size of the snail or location in Mexico? It might not matter, but any extra information can't hurt.

 

[WAFalconer]

I almost thought they resembled Nassarius sp., but I'm not sure at all.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[spongebob lover]

So you found them in my home eh.
Well if you were closer i'd take them just because they're mexican .
I hope you find an answer for them.

 

[cheeks69]

Nikki these were caught in Cancun Mexico, I don't belive they're Nassarius snails.

 

[NaH2O]

Its shape reminds me of the black and yellow bumble bee snails. The algae growth on the shell, makes it difficult for me to see if there are any distinguishing marks on the shell. Check out this link. Not all of the shells remind me of the ones picture, but if you scroll down to the Voluta sp. there are a couple there I thought was getting closer: Volutidae

Everytime I think I found the related genus, I look back at these photos and it doesn't match...grrrrr. I'll keep looking....

 

[steve-s]

I found a few Pollia sp. that where rather close as well.

Cheers
Steve

 

[cheeks69]

The voluta musica guinaica is close, Steve where did you find the Pollia sp. ?

 

[NaH2O]

Robert - if you do a google image search on Pollia + shell that should help.

 

[steve-s]

You'll get a few flower species but will get more hits back if you just use pollia.

Cheers
Steve

 

[cheeks69]

Robert - if you do a google image search on Pollia + shell that should help.

Oh ok I thought Steve was refering to the link you posted.

 

[cheeks69]

Well it appears the snail has been identified and is actually from the coast of the Madeira Islands, it's a Thais haemastoma.

http://www.manandmollusc.net/Shell_photos/thais.html

 

[NaH2O]

Awesome ID Robert. I found a couple of Abstract describing the issues of this snail on Oyster/oyster industry in the south. I believe this snail is also referred to as the Southern Drill?

Cooley, Nelson R. 1958. Incidence and Life History of Parorchis acanthus, a Digenetic Trematode, in the Southern Oyster Drill, Thais haemastoma. Proc. Natl. Shellfish. Assoc. 48:174-188. (ERL,GB 023).
This paper is the initial report of a program to develop biological control of the Southern Oyster Drill, Thais haemastoma, cause of considerable economic loss in some areas on the Gulf of Mexico. Information on the life cycle, known hosts, reported localities, synonymy, and morphological descriptions of developmental stages of the digenetic trematode Parorchis acanthus has been compiled from various sources. The pathology of Parorchis infection in T. haemastoma is briefly described and figured. Preliminary data indicate that incidence of natural infection of P. acanthus in T. haemastoma is about 2% in Northwest Florida, 3.4% in Mississippi and less than 1% in Texas. All natural infections were massive, parasite larvae constituting 70 to 90% of the liver. Parorchis infections experimentally induced in herring gulls (Larus argentatus), in ring-billed gulls (L. delawarensis), and in oyster drills are reported. Sexually mature Parorchis adults were first recovered from the cloacas of four out of four gulls 30 days after feeding each gull approximately 200 encysted metacercariae suspended in sea water. In oyster drills continuously exposed to droppings of Parorchis-infected gulls, the first infection was found on the 21st day of exposure and on the 33d day of exposure, four of 33 examined were infected. The elapsed time and the recovery of only first generation rediae indicate that these were true experimental infections. Possible use of P. acanthus as a biological control agent for T. haemastoma is discussed.

(Gulf Ecology Division)

Here is another image I found:

 

[cheeks69]

Thanx for the help guys !
BTW that was an awesome snail ID site Nikki :exclaim: