The Knobbed Whelk (Busycon carica) is a large predatory sea snail species native to the North Atlantic coast of North America, from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to northern Florida. The shell is thick and strong with six clockwise coils, and the surface is sculpted with fine striations with a ring of knob-like projections that protrude from the widest part of the coil. The color can vary from ivory to pale gray, and the large aperture is orange. On shallow water Knobbed Whelks prey on oysters, clams, and other marine bivalves.
Knobbed Whelks have a length between 5”-9” (12.7-22.9 cm), width from 3.15”-5.91” (8-15 cm), height of 3.15”-5.51” (8-14 cm), and weight in the range of .88-1.98 lb (.4-.9 kg). The typical lifespan of the Knobbed Whelk is 10-15 years.
The Knobbed Whelk (Busycon carica) is a large predatory sea snail species native to the North Atlantic coast of North America, from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to northern Florida. The shell is thick and strong with six clockwise coils, and the surface is sculpted with fine striations with a ring of knob-like projections that protrude from the widest part of the coil. The color can vary from ivory to pale gray, and the large aperture is orange. On shallow water Knobbed Whelks prey on oysters, clams, and other marine bivalves.
Knobbed Whelks have a length between 5”-9” (12.7-22.9 cm), width from 3.15”-5.91” (8-15 cm), height of 3.15”-5.51” (8-14 cm), and weight in the range of .88-1.98 lb (.4-.9 kg). The typical lifespan of the Knobbed Whelk is 10-15 years.