There are around 40 species of conch. Most species are in the Indo-Pacific, with six species in the Caribbean and a single species on the Atlantic coast of Africa. Once widely considered to be carnivores it is now known that they are herbivores or detritivores. They are a delicacy in most places they are found and as a result may be difficult to find. They nearly all have eyes at the end of long stalks. Many are efficient burrowers. Unlike most snails which glide on a muscular foot, the conchs move by repeated movements of their operculum (a hard plate that covers the entrance to the shell when the animal retracts). This gives them a jerky discontinuous movement, rather than a smooth glide. It does allow them to move quickly compared with other gastropods.
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Ryan Photographic - Strombidae - Conchs
