Whelk

Whelk, common name applied to marine gastropod, also known as a sea snail, having a spiral shell. The common northern whelk has a thick, spiral shell, usually about 7.5 to 15 cm (about 3 to 6 in) in length, with a wide aperture and ridged whorls. It is active and carnivorous, feeding on living or dead animals, which it grasps with its foot. The mouth is located at the end of a large proboscis, and the radula, or tongue, is toothed and capable of boring holes in the shells of other mollusks on which the whelk preys. Common along the northern coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean, the whelk occurs from the low-water mark to a depth of about 180 m (about 600 ft). Several hundred eggs are laid in individual capsules; the latter are attached to each other, forming spongelike masses. In many countries the whelk is used for food. See also Conch.

Scientific classification: Whelks belong to the order Neogastropoda. The common northern whelk is classified as Buccinum undatum.