Conch

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About Conch
This GASTROPOD MOLLUSK is encased in a beautiful, brightly colored spiral shell. Conch is found in southern waters and is particularly popular with Floridians and Caribbeans. Store fresh conch, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Conch can also be purchased canned or frozen. The footlike muscle can be eaten raw in salads, or tenderized by pounding, then quickly sautéed like ABALONE. it's also often chopped and used in chowders. The conch is a marine gastropod and it is a member of genus Strombus in the Stromboidea family. There are two main species belonging to the Stromboidea family: Strombus gigas and strombus pugilis (the conch). Conches can usually be found in warm shallow waters. Conches are marine invertebrates which have a soft-body protected by a shell. The shell has to form of a spiral and it can be left-handed or right-handed. Conches have extended eye stalk, an elongated and thin opening, and a siphonal passage with an indentation by the anterior end which is called stromboid notch. Conches have a foot ending in a horny operculum shape. They leap by using their horny operculum. The conch has two pairs of tentacles on the head and a light-sensitive eyespot positioned on every larger tentacle. They smell and feel by using their smaller tentacles. Juvenile conches bury themselves in the sand when they feel that they are in danger. Conches have a radula which is an organ similar to a tongue that has numerous denticles which help them digger the food. The conch’s shell can reach up to thirty centimeters in length. Conches feed on algae, marine grasses and floating organic debris.