Some unknowns from Mexico

[designbysue]

Just back from Cancun and have a few things I need help identifying.

1)

2)

3) This one is so cool - it was only about 3 inches long and looks like a lobster from New England!

4)

Thanks!

 

[designbysue]

Any ideas? I am surprised that no responded yet.

 

[Cave Diver]

Just back from Cancun and have a few things I need help identifying.

1)

This first one is a Helmet Conch. In some places it's called a queen conch, but that's more of a local terminology. I've seen them from plain brown colorings, to majestic looking deep purples. Very beautiful shells.

They can be difficult to spot because a lot of times they are completely buried in the sand with only the tip of their shell sticking out. I've found a few smaller (palm size) ones on top of the sand, but every large one I've ever found has been buried.

 

[designbysue]

Thanks. This one was about 6 inches across. I'm not sure where it was as my dive leader brought it to me. It was beautiful.

 

[WetBoy101]

Horned Helmet...[video]http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=1921586652101&comments[/video]

 

[designbysue]

Cool! What was it eating? and did you give it to the conch? (I want to try that next time - wonder if it will work with any conch)

 

[WetBoy101]

It was eating a Collector Urchin. And yes, we did put it a little closer to the Horned Helmet. A Triton's Trumpet will eat a Crown of Thorns, unfortunately both of these have been over collected to the point that it's not a guarantee that you'll see either one. On average we see ten to fifteen Horned Helmets for every one Tritons Trumpet. Aloha, Rick

 

[Scuba Monkey]

I agree that the first one is a helmet conch.

I believe the second one is a mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) with an encrusting sponge underneath (possibly Mycale laevis).

I can't help with the shrimp or the lacey pink thing.

 

[Pelagicsal]

I believe #3 is a copper lobster.

 

[designbysue]

Thanks - really appreciate the help!