bivalve wrote:
>
> >But it's NOT a conch (conchs are strombids). It doesn't live only in Florida. <
>
> This illustrates the problem of common names.  In popular practice, a conch is a snail, usually large.  Thus, Busycon is commonly called a conch.  Thus, we need some sort of balance between stability and accuracy.
>
> >And what does it have to do with a horse, apart from being... er ... large?<
>
> Maybe it eats horse mussels?

When I say "Florida horse conch", everyone knows precisely what I am
talking about. When I say "Triplofusus g." I get dumb looks from most
folks, even fairly serious collecters/marine observers.

Florida, when the horse conch was named, included most of the animal's
range. Geographic splitters divvied things up for political control and
bragging rights.

Horse is an old english term that refers to, generally, larger or
coarser of its kind: horse conchs, horse chestnuts, horse bean, horse
fly, horse gentian, and horse laugh come to mind.

Conch is, as others have pointed out, any large snail.

The term "Florida horse conch" is precise, accurate, and perfectly
understood by everyone, even the snottiest of taxonomists. What I find
amusing is those that sneer at common nomenclature while arguing about
what it should be called. Big thingamajig? Humongous snail? Big hard
brown shell with orange flesh?  How about "Florida horse conch"? The
latter we all understand.