EntdeckenInvertebrate

Lightning Whelk

Sinistrofulgur sinistrum

The Lightning Whelk is a special sea snail with a beautiful spiral shell. It lives in sandy areas along the coast and is known for its unique left-handed shell twist!

Lebensraum: Coastal areas

Aussehen

The Lightning Whelk has a distinctive left-twisting, conical shell, usually greyish-white or tan, adorned with dark purplish-brown 'lightning bolt' streaks. Its aperture is large and oval.

ReichAnimaliaStammMolluscaKlasseGastropodaOrdnungNeogastropodaFamilieBusyconidaeGattungSinistrofulgur
Lightning Whelk
solitary trait badgecolorful trait badgeburrowing trait badgecoastal trait badge
Lightning Whelk

Kategorie

Invertebrate

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Empty whelk shells often become homes for hermit crabs, giving them a safe place to live!

Lightning Whelks lay their eggs in long, papery strands that look like a string of discs!

The zigzag stripes on its shell look just like lightning, giving it its awesome name!

This whelk is a 'lefty'! Its shell twists counter-clockwise, which is super rare for snails!

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Fähigkeit

Twisted Shell Shield

Lightning Whelk has a unique left-twisting shell that makes it difficult for right-handed predators to open or hold them.

Fähigkeit

Protective Door

Lightning Whelk can retract its soft body into its shell and close a hard 'door' (operculum) that helps them stay safe from danger.

Fähigkeit

Burrowing Power

Lightning Whelk can quickly dig into sandy seafloors using its strong muscular foot, which helps them hide from predators and ambush prey.

Fähigkeit

Shell-Prying Strength

Lightning Whelk uses its powerful foot to pry open the shells of clams and oysters, helping them get to their tasty meal inside.

Maße und Details

Länge
40 cm
Gewicht
700 g
Lebenserwartung
10 Jahre

Ernährung und Fütterung

A mighty hunter, this sea snail uses its powerful foot to pry open shellfish for a tasty meal!

Hauptnahrung

  • hard clams
  • oysters
  • razor clams
  • other bivalves

Nahrungssuche

  • Pursuit

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eats

Hard Clam

Mercenaria mercenaria

a primary food source for the whelk

eats

Eastern Oyster

Crassostrea virginica

another favorite meal for the whelk

eaten by

Blue Crab

Callinectes sapidus

crabs may prey on smaller or injured whelks

eaten by

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Caretta caretta

sea turtles can crush and eat whelk shells

Merkmale

Auch bekannt als

Noch keine Alternativnamen vorhanden.

Sammlungen

Sicherheit

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Be careful when exploring the beach; always watch where you step!

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Was ist der/die/das länge von Lightning Whelk?

40 cm

Was ist der/die/das gewicht von Lightning Whelk?

700 g

Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Lightning Whelk?

10 Jahre

Was frisst Lightning Whelk?

A mighty hunter, this sea snail uses its powerful foot to pry open shellfish for a tasty meal!

Wo findet man Lightning Whelk normalerweise?

Coastal areas

Wie jagt Lightning Whelk?

Pursuit

Snap-Karte

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Neueste Snaps

Neueste Snaps erscheinen hier, wenn neue Beobachtungen hinzukommen.

Wo zu sehen

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