Labiostrombus epidromis

Lore & Background

The swan conch is a marine gastropod mollusc placed within the family Strombidae. Its shell typically reaches 50 to 95 mm in adult size. The species occurs in the Central Indo-West Pacific, with a range extending from the Ryukyus, Japan, south to Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia) and east to New Caledonia. In phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequences of nuclear histone H3 and mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase I protein-coding gene regions, Labiostrombus epidromis (referred to as Strombus epidromis in that analysis) was found to be closely related to Strombus vittatus (Doxander vittatus) and Strombus canarium (Laevistrombus canarium), with which it appears to share a common ancestor.

Reader's Guide

The swan conch is one of the species included in a 2006 cladistic study that examined phylogenetic relationships among 34 species within the family Strombidae. That analysis, based on DNA sequences from two gene regions, placed Labiostrombus epidromis in a clade with Doxander vittatus and Laevistrombus canarium, suggesting a shared common ancestor. The species has been referenced in several malacological works, including regional treatments of Australian marine shells and a conchological iconography of the Strombidae. Its distribution across the Central Indo-West Pacific, from Japan to Australia and New Caledonia, places it within a broad tropical marine region. The typical adult shell size of 50 to 95 mm is documented in descriptive accounts. The species is recognized under the common name swan conch and is classified within the true conchs, family Strombidae.

Did You Know?

• The adult shell of Labiostrombus epidromis typically ranges from 50 to 95 mm in size.
• This species occurs from the Ryukyus, Japan, to Australia and New Caledonia.
• In a 2006 phylogenetic analysis, it was found to share a common ancestor with Doxander vittatus and Laevistrombus canarium.
• It is commonly known as the swan conch.