Aliger gallus
A medium-sized true conch of the western Atlantic.
The rooster conch, also called the rooster-tail conch, is a medium-sized marine snail belonging to the true conch family, Strombidae. Its scientific name is *Aliger gallus*, though it was formerly classified as *Strombus gallus*. This species ranges from southeastern Florida and Bermuda, across the West Indies, and down to Brazil. Its shell averages about 12.5 centimeters in length, with a maximum recorded size of 197 millimeters. The snail lives at depths between 0.3 meters and 82 meters. Within the family Strombidae, its classification has shifted over time. In a 2005 analysis based on anatomical features, Simone placed it in the genus *Aliger* (now often considered a synonym of *Lobatus*), alongside *Aliger costatus*, and separated it from the true *Strombus* group. A 2006 genetic study by Latiolais and colleagues, using DNA sequences, instead grouped *Lobatus gallus* (then called *Strombus gallus*) closely with *Strombus gigas* (now *Lobatus gigas*), suggesting they share a recent common ancestor.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Aliger gallus
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The species was originally placed within the genus Strombus, but phylogenetic analyses have led to reclassification. In a morpho-anatomical analysis, Simone proposed a cladogram that included Aliger gallus (there referred to as Aliger gallus) and Aliger costatus as closely related, elevating Aliger to genus level. Under this scheme, only Strombus gracilior, Strombus alatus, and Strombus pugilis remained within Strombus. The genus Aliger has since been considered a synonym of Lobatus, making Aliger gallus a synonym of Lobatus gallus.
A separate phylogenetic study based on DNA sequences of nuclear histone H3 and mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase I genes examined 34 species within Strombidae. In that analysis, Strombus gallus (as it was then called) was found to be closely related to Strombus gigas (= Lobatus gigas), suggesting they share a common ancestor. The shell of Aliger gallus averages about 12.5 cm in length, with a maximum recorded length of 197 mm. The species occurs at depths from 0.3 m to 82 m.
Reader's Guide
Aliger gallus is significant as one of the true conchs whose classification has been reshaped by modern phylogenetic methods. The species has been the subject of two major cladistic analyses—one based on anatomical features and another on molecular data—which reached different conclusions about its relationships. Simone's morpho-anatomical work grouped it with Aliger costatus and elevated the subgenus Aliger to genus level, while Latiolais and colleagues' DNA-based study placed it close to Lobatus gigas. These competing hypotheses reflect ongoing debate in stromboid systematics. The species' wide distribution from Florida and Bermuda through the West Indies to Brazil, and its occurrence across a depth range of 0.3 m to 82 m, indicate ecological flexibility. Its common names—rooster conch and rooster-tail conch—refer to the shell's distinctive shape. The taxonomic history of Aliger gallus illustrates how traditional genus-level groupings in Strombidae have been revised as new evidence emerges, with the genus Aliger now considered a synonym of Lobatus.
Did You Know?
- The average shell length of Aliger gallus is about 12.5 cm.
- The maximum recorded shell length is 197 mm.
- This species occurs from southeast Florida and Bermuda through the West Indies and south to Brazil.
- The minimum recorded depth is 0.3 m and the maximum recorded depth is 82 m.
More in Marine Snails: Ceriths, Nassas and Conchs 1-24
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