Harpago chiragra

Housing of Harpago chiragra

The Great boat hook or Chiragra spider snail is a snail from the family of winged snails ( genus Harpago ), which is widespread in the Indo-Pacific.

Features

The oblong ovate, very large and thick shell of Harpago chiragra, which reaches a length of about 17, sometimes up to 32 cm in adult worm, has a bumpy lumpy back. Sitting at the mouth edge (including the Siphonalkanals ) 6 finger-like projections that are on both sides quite long and bent upward. The surface of the housing is white with reddish-brown spots, the mouth rose and white striped. The two outer fingers are bent away at right angles from the mouth.

The females are usually much larger than the males.

Distribution and habitat

The Great boat hook occurs in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, Sri Lanka and the Bay of Bengal to eastern Polynesia, from southern Japan and Taiwan to northern Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia.

You snail lives in coral reefs on coarse sand with algae in the shallow waters of the intertidal zone, in tide pools and below to a depth of about 25 meters. Like other pteropods it feeds on algae.

Use and risk

Harpago chiragra is collected for the housing, which is sold as jewelry. The meat is eaten.