Stromboidea

• Strombidae
  • Lambis
    • Lambis robusta (Swainson, 1821)

Original Description of Pterocera robusta by Swainson, 1821:

• "P. Testae labio exteriore processibus 6 vel 7 crssis, subcylindraceis, tantum non rectis armato; apertura fusca, costis albis densis inaqualibus; canali subrecta."
• "Outer lip with 6 or 7 thick, rounded, nearly straight processes; aperture brown, with thick, unequal, white ribs, channel nearly straight."

History and Synonymy

Lambis robusta (Swainson, 1821: 11th unnum. p) (Pterocera)

• Syn.: Pterocera pseudo-scorpio Lamarck, 1822: 197
• Syn.: Pteroceras pseudoscorpio Lam. Sowerby 2nd, 1842: 43, pl. 11 fig. 2

1842

Pteroceras pseudoscorpio Sowerby, 1842, pl. 11, fig. 2

1851

Pterocera pseudo-scorpio in Reeve, 1851, Pterocera, pl. 3, fig. 4

• Locality: Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania, East Africa, Indian Ocean
• "Image courtesy Biodiversity Heritage Library. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org"

Specimens from private collections

Lambis robusta (Swainson, 1821); Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean; t:113 mm, b: 168 mm; Coll. Christian Börnke

Lambis robusta (Swainson, 1821); Huahine Island, Society Islands, French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean; taken at 10 m, on sand, inside reef; 126 mm; Coll. Ulrich Wieneke

Lambis robusta (Swainson, 1821); Puna'auia, Papeete, Tahiti Island, Society Islands, French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean; 137 mm; Coll. Ulrich Wieneke

Lambis robusta (Swainson, 1821); immature specimen; Puna'auia, Papeete, Tahiti Island, Society Islands, French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean; 20 m depth, corals; 102 mm; Coll. Ulrich Wieneke

Lambis robusta (Swainson, 1821); freak form; Puna'auia, Papeete, Tahiti Island, Society Islands, French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean; 20 m depth, corals; 150 mm; Coll. Ulrich Wieneke

Lambis robusta (Swainson, 1821); Pueu, east coast of Tahiti Island, Society Islands, French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean; 15m, scuba dived; 130.4mm; Coll. Chong Chen
Comment Chen

• "The "False Spider Conch" is a bizarre spider conch endemic to Southeast Polynesia, characterised by the black tips on digits. It lives on sandy or coral rubble bottoms in shallow water around -10~30m depth, and is a herbivore feeding mainly on algae and other organic particles. A locally uncommon species, it is rather rare on the market due to its restricted range. It is usually well disguised with overgrowths in habitat and difficult to find. Like all spider conchs it has very strong foot and is capable of jumping action. Average shell length around 130mm, giants may exceed 150mm. Most similar to Lambis scorpius (Linnaeus, 1758) and Lambis indomaris Abbott, 1961, but is easily distinguished from them by the much less "wavy", less curved digitation, and the black digit tips."

References

• Tröndlé, J. & Boutet, M. 2009. Inventory of marine Molluscs of French Polynesia. Atoll Research Bulletin, 570: 1-87.