AUTHOR 8 ABSTRACT OF THIS PAPER ISSI'ED 

 BY THE BIBLIOGRAPHIC SERVICE, JUNE 12 



THE LEAPING OF THE STROMB (STROMBUS GIGAS 



LINN.) 



G. H. PARKER 

 Zoological Laboratory, Harvard University 



TWO FIGURES 



It has long been known that strombs differ from other gastro- 

 pods in their method of locomotion. These conchs progress 

 over the substrate hy sudden leaps and not by the slow gliding 

 movement so characteristic of most snails. Adams ('48, p. 493), 

 in describing the living Strombus, says that "it is, in fact, a 

 most sprightly and energetic animal, and often served to amuse 

 me by its extraordinary leaps and endeavors to escape, planting 

 firmly its powerful narrow operculum against any resisting sur- 

 face, insinuating it under the edge of its shell, and by a vigorous 

 effort throwing itself forward, carrying its great heavy shell with 

 it, and rolling along in a series of jumps in a most singular and 

 grotesque manner." ' This description portrays fairly well the 

 movements of this giant conch. 



While I was at the Miami Aquarium I had the opportunity 

 of studying the locomotion of Strombus gigas Linn., which, at 

 least in immature specimens, was common in the neighborhood 

 of Miami. I am under obligations to the Miami Aquarium Asso- 

 ciation for the privilege of carrying out this work at the labora- 

 tory of the Aquarium. 



Immature but large specimens of Strombus gigas are to be 

 found creeping about on the weed-covered flats in Biscayne 

 Bay, Florida. One large animal whose shell measured 15 cm. 

 long would progress half the length of its shell at a single bound 

 and in doing so it lifted its shell off the substrate at least 4 cm. 

 Ordinarily these snails would progress 4 to 5 cm. at a single 

 leap. 



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