Good Luck Charms on Okinawa – The Chiragra Spider Conch

Conch shells are locally collected for food on Okinawa. The shells are used for shell craft and jewelry. The Chiragra spider conch (Harpago chiragra) is considered a good luck charm. It is known to bring good fortune, worn of evil spirits, and provide protection against fire. The Okinawans place the Chiragra spider conch on the outside of houses and buildings.

Chiragra spider conch (Harpago chiragra)
Chiragra spider conch (Harpago chiragra)

Below are some of my favorite conch shells found in Okinawa.

Lambis scorpius - scorpion conch
Lambis scorpius


The beautiful conch shells are commonly confused with the hazardous cone shells. The main difference is that conch shells have a stromboid notch. A small side slit or indentation which allows the animal to see while moving.  The conch shells movement is much different as well, they travel using a jumping style movement instead of a steady crawling motion.

Strawberry conch shells © Shawn Miller Conomurex luhuanus
Conomurex luhuanus

My daughter and I found this mutated strawberry conch shell in 2018. This is the first four-eyed conch shell I have seen. They naturally have two eyes, not four.

Strawberry conch
Mutated four-eyed conch © Shawn Miller

 My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link  paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines.  Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.