Melongena corona
The Crown Conch’s shell has spiny bumps on the spirals, making it look like a crown. The snail can grow up to five inches in length. They reside in shallow sea beds and salt marshes, typically no more than three feet deep. They are subtropical and have little tolerance for cold water.
These gastropods are carnivorous and feed on slow moving victims such as oysters, clams and snails as well as dead organisms. Crown Conchs are wary of others of their species, as they are cannibalistic. In some areas these gastropods eat oysters so extensively that they ruin oyster beds and destroy nearby reefs.
Predators of this conch include some whelks and murex which have the capability of penetrating the thick shells. Crown Conchs are not harvested for food, although their abundance can sometimes indicate the decline of nearby oyster and clam populations.
Live shells should never be taken from any Florida State Park.