Cultural Ecology of the Queen Conch Strombus gigas

Cultural Ecology of the Queen Conch Strombus gigas (Class Gastropoda)

Other Conch Species • • Florida Crown Florida Fighting Florida Horse Hawking Milk West Indian Crown West Indian Fighting

Anatomy • • Shared with other gastropods (stomach-footed) Reaches 30 cm in length Mature conch has flared lip Shell spines help reduce predation – Larger shell – Distributes crushing pressure over surface of shell – Attachment device for epibionts to conceal shell

Mr. Slimy

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Habitat and Feeding Habits • • Seagrass beds Eats grasses, epiphytes and detritus Have you seen a conch on our dives? How big?

Juveniles • Juveniles bury selves to escape predation, until ≈ 5 cm (Iverson et. al. 1989) • Prime juvenile habitat: – – Intermediate density of seagrass (30 -80 g dry wt/m 2 ) 2 -4 meters Strong tidal currents Most seagrass beds cannot support juveniles

Reproduction and Life Cycle • Internal fertilization • Metamorphosis from larvae triggered by low molecular weight compounds associated with red algae (Boettcher & Target 1997) • Variations in shell development appear to be influenced more by local environment than genetic variability (Martin-Mora & James 1995)

Research • Approximately 230 published papers by 1997 • Publication driven mainly by maricultural concerns • Formal descriptions of larval stage of several Strombus species first appeared in 1993

Threats • Over-”harvested” for… – Food – Shell used for jewelry and decoration • Productive areas become “sinks” • Only 5, 000 -9, 000 in Florida • Fishing restrictions – Fishing moratorium in Florida since 1985 (little to no recovery, relies on unpredictable current? ) – Bahamas restricted to free diving (unfortunately, juveniles and young adults are in the shallows)

Future • Hatcheries producing millions of juveniles, but survival rate very poor compared to wild (Xanthid crabs a major predator of juveniles) – Thinner shells, shorter spines, low burial frequency • Substrate enclosure? (Iverson et. al. 1989) • May need higher density for males and females to detect one another (internal fertilization) • Must begin to take a metapopulation perspective (Stoner 1997: 21)

An Hypothesis Based on Info from Jyl • Given that a colony of Conch will vacate an area once removed from that colony (Lapachin 1999), and… • That under “natural” conditions there is much less predation of the adult vs. juvenile conch, then… • Perhaps human predation has the double effect of not only removing a single conch, but also reducing survival of others due to energy-loss (= bears in the wild)

The Conch in Mesoamerica Archaeological and Ethnohistoric Evidence

Early Images • Teotihuacan 0 -700 AD • Central Valley of Mexico • An empire’s symbol of control over distant ecological zones

Coyote Playing Conch Teotihuacan

Xochicalco • Warring City States following the collapse of Teotihuacan • Associated with the rain deity (Tlaloc? ) • Symbol of wealth • Acquired by trade rather than conquest

Geometric Elaboration Xochicalco

The Mexica • Ceremonial uses – cardinal directions – Tlaloque – maintain seasonal balance, duality (Tlaloc/Huitzilopochtli) • Trade and tribute • Protein sources highly prized

Conch Sculpture at the Templo Mayor Tenochtitlan

Is there anything to learn from Mesoamerican civilizations? • Not just balance in modern sense, but integration of humans & the rest of the “natural” world • Vs. the natural/cultural approach, managed/wild • Sanctions for violating life (human sacrifice), enculturation processes which produce a sense of awe and symbiotic pleasure (Nahua) • No se puede comer La Patria