Marine Invertebrates of Bermuda Flamingo Tongue Snail (Cyphoma gibbosum) Sarah Nahabedian with James B. Wood and Melissa Parr (Eds) Abstract Taxonomy  Habitat  Ecology  Recent Research  Commercial Importance  Bermuda Laws  Personal Interest  References  Links

Abstract


The Flamingo Tongue Snail, Cyphoma gibbosum, a marine gastropod, lives sub-tidally and is common on many Caribbean and southern Atlantic coral reefs. It is about once inch long and can be observed atached to gorgonians upon which it exclusively feeds. Unlike nudibranchs, flamingo tongue snails have a shell; however, the shell is typically not visible in living animals due to the mantle flesh covering it. When alive, the snail appears yellow-orange with irregular shaped spots ringed in black. However, the mantle can be retracted, exposing the shell. This snail is extremely over-collected and must be protected.


Taxonomy


Phylum: Mollusca
  Class: Gastropoda
    Subclass: Prosobranchia
      Order: Neotaenioglossa
        Family: Ovulidae

The Flamingo Tongue Snail, Cyphoma gibbosum, is a member of the phylum Mollusca, which also contains octopus, oysters and chitons. C. gibbosum are members of the class Gastropoda, which are marine snails with a shell and without a shell or a reduced shell. Members of the subclass Prosobranchia describe certain kinds of sea snails in terms of their anatomy. Prosobranchia means “gills in front of the heart”. C. gibbosum is from the family Ovulidae that are commonly known as cowries. Ovulids have smooth, shiny shells with a long aperture.


Habitat


  Cyphoma gibbosum lives sub-tidally on shallow reefs in the Caribbean and southern Atlantic Ocean (Nowlis, 1993; Gerhart, 1986), ranging from North Carolina to Brazil (Rehder, 1981). C. gibbosum is commonly found individually, or in pairs, on sea fans and sea whips (Rehder, 1981; Gerhart, 1990; Chiappone et al 2003), which they live and feed on (Gerhart, 1986).



Ecology



Reproduction and Life Cycle:
  Like many other gastropods, Cyphoma gibbosum follow the mucus trails left by conspecifics and aggregate (Nowlis, 1993). Adults are dioecious and do not seem to change sex once full grown. There are water-borne cues that serve as attracting pheromones; over long distances these cues undoubtedly play an important role in producing aggregations (Nowlis, 1993). All adult C. gibbosum live and feed on gorgonian corals, and females oviposit encapsulated eggs onto the bare axis of gorgonians, which are exposed by the snails’ feeding activities (Nowlis, 1993; Lasker et al 1988). Oviposition occurs roughly on a lunar cycle, although individual females can lay several egg masses within a cycle (Nowlis, 1993). The eggs develop into planktonic larvae while still encapsulated on the surface of the coral colony (Gerhart, 1986). However, the duration of the planktonic phase is unknown (Gerhart, 1986).

  Roughly a week and a half after oviposition the larvae hatch out of the capsules and spend an undetermined length of time feeding on plankton (Nowlis, 1993). The larvae metamorphose into juveniles and gradually grow to adult form. Many tiny (<5 mm) juveniles can be found on gorgonian coral colonies, and are rarely seen on any other substrate, suggesting that larvae settle specifically onto gorgonian colonies (Nowlis, 1993). Juveniles tend to hide under branches of the coral colonies during the day and remain on the same colony for long periods (Harvell & Suchanek, 1987). In contrast, adults are visible during the day and move frequently between coral colonies (Nowlis, 1993).



Predators:
  Cyphoma gibbosum has few natural predators. Hogfish, pufferfish, and the Caribbean Spiny lobster were found to be a major predator upon C. gibbosum (Chiappone et al 2003; Burkepile & Hay, 2007). The mantle of C. gibbosum is unpalatable (Gerhart, 1986) and therefore is rejected or ignored by fish. The behavior of C. gibbosum suggests that the mantle provides protection through its distasteful qualities. However, fish can attack C. gibbosum, and there have been presence of mantle tears (Gerhart, 1986). This distastefulness may arise from the sequestering of gorgonian chemicals on which the animal feeds (Gerhart, 1986). C. gibbosum coloration and aggregations warn potential predators of the presence of toxic compounds that the snail has obtained from its food sources (Gerhart, 1986). C. gibbosum has developed an effective defense from its prey (Gerhart, 1986; Lasker et al 1988).

  On the other hand, Cyphoma gibbosum has become increasingly uncommon throughout Caribbean and southern Atlantic Ocean due to the over-collecting by scuba divers and snorkelers (Sterrer, 1986). Due to human predation, C. gibbosum populations are rapidly declining.



Prey:
  Cyphoma gibbosum is a widespread and common predator of allelochemically rich gorgonian octocorals on Caribbean coral reefs (Gerhart, 1986; Nowlis, 1968; Lasker et al 1988; Gerhart, 1990; Hazlett & Bach, 1982; Vrolijk & Targett, 1992; Lasker & Coffroth, 1988). C. gibbosum lives and feeds on gorgonian corals (Nowlis, 1968; Gerhart, 1986) and therefore has different reasons for choosing different coral species. C. gibbosum choose gorgonians on the basis of their suitability as sites for egg laying and/or as sites for predator avoidance (Lasker et al 1988). Also, prey preference may be correlated with the snail’s age in addition to gregariousness, coral spicule size, and food quality (Vrolijk & Targett, 1992). However, there were no inter-specific prey preferences (Gerhart, 1986).

  Cyphoma gibbosum consumes gorgonians without ill effect even when these species of gorgonians contain high concentrations of sclerites or toxic secondary metabolites (Gerhart, 1990). C. gibbosum will rarely kill its host, and most damaged gorgonians can regenerate their lost tissues (Gerhart, 1990). Many gorgonian compounds are noxious or toxic, and seem to discourage predators (Gerhart, 1986). By obtaining these secondary chemicals from gorgonian prey, C. gibbosum is distasteful which leads to decreased susceptibility to predation (Gerhart, 1986). Thus, the unpalatability of C. gibbosum may permit higher grazing rates on gorgonians (Gerhart, 1990).


Recent Research


Recently, much research has been done on Cyphoma gibbosum prey preference and gregariousness. Most studies of C. gibbosum-gorgonian interaction have focused on the distribution, movement and host preference of C. gibbosum (Gerhart, 1986; Lasker & Coffroth, 1988) with less emphasis on the potential top-down effect of C. gibbosum grazing (Burkepile & Hay, 2007). Burkepile and Hay (2007) state that heavy predation on gorgonians is rare because of their chemical and morphological defenses against consumers. Burkepile and Hay (2007) found that C. gibbosum tended to be more abundant in areas where large predators were regularly harvested. Chiappone et al. (2003), suggested that predators might control C. gibbosum populations. Patterns suggest that predators typically suppress C. gibbosum populations, and that over-fishing of these predators could release C. gibbosum from top-down control and that this release will increase damage to gorgonian corals (Burkepile & Hay, 2007).


Commercial Importance


Flamingo tongue snails are recognized world wide as having beautiful shells. However, many scuba divers and snorkelers make the mistake of thinking that the brightly colored spots are on the shell permanently. This is not the case, in fact, the color of the shell is due to the mantle of the animal inside the shell (Sterrer, 1986). When the animal dies, all that is left is the apricot colored shell (Sterrer, 1986). The Flamingo Tongue shell is very popular and sold worldwide for jewelry products.


Bermuda Laws


There are currently no Bermuda laws pertaining to Cyphoma gibbosum. However, this species is extremely over collected (Sterrer, 1986), and must be protected.



Personal Interest


I find shells of any kind amazing. On a trip to Belize I noticed the Flamingo tongue snails present on many sea fans and became amazed at their populations. Coming to Bermuda I was excited to learn that they also inhabit the waters surrounding this island; however, after many diving and snorkeling trips I was disappointed to learn that they are a rarity because of over-collecting by snorkelers and scuba divers that make the mistake of thinking that the color is in the shell of the animal. With better public awareness, maybe someday this beautiful snail can live abundantly and peacefully in Bermuda’s coral reefs.


References

Burkepile, D. E., Hay, M. E. 2007. Predator release of the gastropod Cyphoma gibbosum increases predation on gorgonian corals. Oecol. 154: 167-173.

Chiappone, M., Dienes, H., Swanson, D. W., Miller, S. L. 2003. Density and gorgonian host-occupation pattern by flamingo tongue snails (Cyphoma gibbosum) in the Florida Keys. J. of Sci. 39: 116-127.

Gerhard, D. J. 1986. Gregariousness in the gorgonian-eating gastropod Cyphoma gibbosum: tests of several possible causes. Mar. Ecol. Prog, Ser. 31: 255-263.

Gerhard, D. J. 1990. Fouling and gastropod predation: consequences of grazing for a tropical octocoral. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 62: 103-108.

Ghiselin, M. T., Wilson, B. R. 1966. On the anatomy, natural history, and reproduction of Cyphoma, a marine prosobranch gastropod. Bulletin of Marine Science. 16: 132-141.

Harvell, C. D., Suchanek, T. H. 1987. Partial predation on tropical gorgonians by Cyphoma gibbosum (Gastropoda). Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 38: 37-44.

Hazlett, B. A., Bach, C. E. 1982. Distribution pattern of the flamingo tongue shell (Cyphoma gibbosum) on its gorgonian prey (Briareum asbestinum). Mar. Behav. Physiol. 8: 305-309.

Lasker, H. R., Coffroth, M. A. 1988. Temporal and spatial variability among grazers: variability in the distribution of the gastropod Cyphoma gibbosum on octocorals. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 43: 285-295.

Nowlis, J. P. 1993. Mate-and ovipostion-influenced host preferences in the coral-feeding snail Cyphoma gibbosum. Ecol. 74(7):1959-1969.

Sterrer, W. 1986. Marine Fauna and Flora of Bermuda. Josh Wiley & Sons. NY: pp 421-423.

Rehder, H. A. 1981. National Audubon Society: Field Guide to Shells: North America. Alfred A. Knopf. NY: 483 pp.

Vrolijk, N. H., Targett, N. M. 1992. Biotransformation enzymes in Cyphoma gibbosum (Gastropod: Ovulidae): implications for detoxification of gorgonian allelochemicals. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 88: 237-246.


Links

Flamingo Tongue Snail by Reef News
Flamingo Tongue Pictures by Phillip Colla