Temperature extremes responsible (5)

I believe the answer is:

conch

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'temperature' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how one could define the other.

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for conch that I've seen before include "Type of shell" , "Heavy shell" , "Big spiral-shelled mollusc" , "Large shell used as trumpet" , "Marine mollusc with a spiral shell" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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