Conch

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For other uses, see Conch (disambiguation).

A conch (pronounced in the U.S.A. as "konk" or "conch"(IPA: /kɒŋk/) [1] is a sea-dwelling mollusk. More specifically, it is a marine gastropod or snail, in the family Strombidae and the genus Strombus. It should be noted that a few other very large, marine, shelled gastropods are sometimes referred to as "conches", such as the Horse Conch (Pleuroploca gigantea, but these are not from the same family. The genus Strombus is composed of the true conches in the family Strombidae.

While a large number of Strombid species are fossil, at least 65 species are extant. Of these, most are in the Indo-Pacific Oceans. Six species live in the greater Caribbean region, including the Queen Conch, Strombus gigas, and the West Indian Fighting Conch, Strombus pugilis.

Many conch, such as the Queen Conch, live on sandy bottoms among beds of sea grass in warm tropical waters.

Strombus gigas is included in Appendix II of the UNEP's CITES list of endangered species, and international trade is heavily restricted.[2]

[edit] Anatomy

Conches have spirally constructed shells. This spiral shell growth is usually dextral (right-handed) but on very rare occasions it can be sinistral (left-handed).

Conches have long eye stalks with colorful ring-marked eyes. The shell has a long and narrow aperture, and a short siphonal canal, with another indentation near the anterior end called a stromboid notch. This notch is where one of the eye stalks protrudes from the shell. The animal also has a foot ending in a pointed, sickle-shaped, operculum. The animals grow a flared lip on their shells only upon reaching sexual maturity.

Conches have a characteristic leaping motion, using their pointed, sickle-shaped, horny operculum to propel themselves forward. They lay eggs in long, gelatinous strands.

[edit] Human use

The animal inside the shell is eaten, either raw, as in salads, or cooked, as in fritters, chowders, gumbos, and burgers. In East Asian cuisines, the meat is often cut into thin slices and then steamed or stir-fried. In El Salvador, live conch is served in a cocktail of onion, tomato, cilantro, and lemon juice. Lemon juice is squeezed onto the cocktail, causing the conch to squirm, and then the whole thing is slurped down whole, as in the manner of oysters. Conch meat is also often confused with Scungilli, which is more accurately whelk meats. Only the white meat is edible.

Conch shells are sometimes used as decoration, as decorative planters, and in cameo making. In classic Mayan art, conches are shown being utilized in many ways including as paint and ink holders for elite scribes, as bugles or trumpets, and as hand weapons (held by combatants by inserting their hands in the aperture). The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped the sea and often depicted conch shells in their art. ^[1] Some American aborigonals used cylindrical conch columella beads as part of breastplates and other personal adornment. See Hair Pipes.

In popular folklore, it is believed that if one holds an open conch shell (or any other large marine snail shell) to the ear, the ocean can be heard. This phenomenon is caused by the resonant cavity of the shell producing a form of pink noise from the surrounding background ambience.^{[citation needed]}

In some Caribbean and African American cemetaries conch shells are placed on graves. The Last Miles of the Way: African Homegoing Traditions, 1890-Present, edited by Elaine Nichols

In some countries, cleaned Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) shells or polished fragments are sold, mainly to tourists, as souvenirs or in jewelry. Without a permit, however, export is a breach of CITES regulations and may lead to arrest [3]. This is most likely to occur on return to the tourist's home country while clearing customs. In the UK conch shells are the ninth most seized import. [4]

Conch shells are occasionally used as a building material, either in place of bricks or as bulk for landfill.

[edit] Playing the conch shell

Conch shells are sometimes made into crude bugles by removing the small tip of the shell to form a mouthpiece. Such instruments are used in the Pacific Islands as well as in many parts of Asia. While lacking the range capabilities and tonal quality of brass instruments, the conch shell is still an interesting instrument to play. Despite its limited range, the conch shell possesses a haunting, mellow, resonate tone that no traditional brass instrument can mimic.As it has no mouthpiece or valves, the embouchure in shell playing is critical. Most shells will only naturally play one note, but with pitch manipulations, multiple sounds can be achieved. The insertion of the hand and the placement of the fingers will also change the pitch of the shell. The conch shell is said to be the musical instrument of mermaids and mermen. Steve Turre is the leading innovator of modern shell playing. It is sometimes found in classical works, such as the symphony piece "La Noche de Los Mayas", or "Night of the Mayas", which was premiered in 1939 with Jacob Watkins on percussion and conch. It is also played at cricket in the Caribbean.

[edit] Religious symbolism

[edit] Hindu tradition

The conch shell is a major Hindu article of prayer, used as a trumpeting announcement of all sorts. The god of Preservation, Vishnu, is said to hold a special conch, Panchajanya, that represents life as it has come out of life-giving waters. In the story of Dhruva the divine conch plays a special part. The warriors of ancient India would blow conch shells to announce battle, such as is famously represented in the beginning of the war of Kurukshetra in the Mahabharata, the famous Hindu epic. The conch shell is a deep part of Hindu symbolic and religious tradition. To this very day, many Hindus use the conch as a part of their religious practices, blowing it during worship at specific points, accompanied by ceremonial bells. This however is not a true conch, but is a Chank or Turbinella species from a different family of sea snails.

See also: Dakshinavarti Shankh Paris Flood

[edit] Buddhist tradition

Buddhism also has incorporated the Chank shell into its symbolism. See: Buddhist symbolism.

[edit] Literature

William Golding's Lord of the Flies features frequent references to "The Conch". In the book the conch is used to call everyone together and held by whoever is speaking at meetings, symbolically representing democracy and order. When a boulder released by Roger, Jack's lieutenant, smashes the conch, it is a sign that civilized order has collapsed and Jack's domination has begun.

[edit] Media