Queen Conch in Cozumel
Queen Conch (*Aliger gigas*) in Cozumel: how to identify a live animal, where it is seen, and why the shells cannot be taken.
A heavy spiral shell with a flared pink-lipped opening. Live animals have a pair of stalked eyes on long tentacles and move in visible hops rather than gliding.
Quick ID
| Scientific name | Aliger gigas |
|---|---|
| Group | Molluscs — Octopus, Squid & Snails |
| Typical size | 20–30 cm shell |
| Depth range | 1–20 m |
| When to see it | Year-round |
| Active | Daytime |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable, CITES listed |
| Notes | Protected species |
Where You Will See It In Cozumel
Seagrass and sand at El Cielo, Playa Corona and the shallow west-coast flats.
Reliable sites: El Cielo, Playa Corona, Molas Shallow Reef.
Behaviour
Grazes algae on sand and seagrass. It does not crawl — it plants a hooked foot and vaults forward, which is why a moving conch looks like it is hopping.
Commonly Confused With
- Empty shells on the sand — A shell with a hole punched near the spire was taken by a fisherman; a live conch has visible stalked eyes.
- Helmet conch — Helmet shells are thicker and lack the wide flared pink lip.
Diving Etiquette And Safety
CITES-listed and protected. Do not lift live conch and do not take shells — removing shells from the marine park is prohibited, and a lifted conch is often dropped somewhere it cannot right itself.
Part of the Cozumel marine life guide · see Cozumel dive sites · plan your Cozumel dive trip
Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
