Dog Whelk
Nucella lapillus
Adult dog whelks inhabit wave-washed rocky shores, particularly around barnacle and mussel beds. They are slow predatory sea snails that bore through or pry apart the shells of bivalves and barnacles with their radula and chemical secretions. Adults often shelter in rock crevices during low tide. Shell colour and pattern vary greatly, helping individuals blend into their local shore habitat.
- Type
- Water
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Dog Whelk