Shell
Common whelk
Buccinum undatum
Out of season
—
Fishing zones
Wild
Origin
5,5 cm
Minimum size
Description
The whelk is a species of gastropod mollusk that measures 5.5 cm at age 4; older individuals can exceed 10 cm in length. An adult weighs about 20 grams. It is primarily scavenging and feeds on the carcasses of fish or crabs.
Habitat
The whelk is a benthic species that inhabits a variety of seabeds: sand, mud, gravel, or rocky substrates. It is found from the intertidal zone (lower foreshore) down to great depths exceeding 1,000 meters, although it is most common between 5 and 200 meters. It prefers cold to temperate waters and does not tolerate temperatures above 20°C.
Distribution
It is found from northern Norway and Iceland to the Bay of Biscay. It is extremely common in the English Channel and the North Sea. It is found from Greenland and Canada (Labrador, Gulf of St. Lawrence) to New Jersey in the United States. It is absent from the Mediterranean Sea (where it is replaced by other gastropod species).