The Giant Spider Shell is a collectors’ favourite item

The Giant Spider Shell is also known as Lambis truncata. Lambis falls under the category Phylum: Mollusca and Class: Gastropoda within the animal kingdom. They are from the family Strombidae which includes Lambis and Strombus. Lambis truncata are commonly called Giant Spider Shell. Those who visit the Muttrah Souq must have seen them on sale in the gift shops. Lambis truncata can reach a length of around 360mms, and are found in sandy areas surrounded by rubbles, rocks, algae and corals at depths from 4 feet to 30 feet. Lambis have two eyes and have a heavy operculum under their giant feet. They feed grazing under the protection of tough humped seven spiked shell. They feed mostly on red algae. Gastropods are mostly found in tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, where about 40 living species can be found. Lambis lay eggs in long strands made of gelatinous material. They are herbivores creatures. Male Lambis have two notch protrusion on top of the shell. Lambis move by gliding slowly across by using their pointed horny operculum supported by a strong masculine foot. The young Lambis bury themselves during juvenile stage, they refrain doing so at adulthood. Lambis are widely distributed within the Indo-Pacific. Within the Western Indian Ocean, they can be found all along Mozambique, Zanzibar, East coast of Kenya, Somalia and Yemen and along the coasts of the Sultanate of Oman. Lambis are the favourite specimen for shell collectors.