Species Type:
Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Lightning whelk
Size:
These whelks can grow to to 16 inches (41 centimeters) in length.
Diet:
These whelks feed on clams, and other bivalves like oysters and scallops.
Range & Habitat:
The lightning whelk can be found along the North American coastline from New Jersey to Texas in creeks, oyster bars and estuaries.
Details:
These marine snails have long, striped shells that open on the left, unlike other marine snail shells. They prey on bivalves like clams and oysters. Female whelks lay long strings of disk-shaped egg cases. Over the centuries, Native American tribes such as the Calusa and the Tonkawa have used lightning whelk shells as tools, bowls and ceremonial objects.