Whelk Shells of the Busyconidae Family
One Whelk Shell of the Busyconidae Family can be found in this website:
Lightning Whelk Shell, Sinistrofulgur perversum. A representative of the Busyconidae Family of Whelk Shells.
Phylogeny: Whelk Shells in the Busyconidae Family are gastropod mollusks in the Neogastropod order. Neogastropods are primarily defined by their radulas (file-like mouth structure) and long siphonal canals. The great majority shells in this order are marine species and include cones, olives, conchs, miters, murexes, and many other common shells. There are seven superfamilies in this order, and this family is one of twenty families in the superfamily Buccinoidea. There are two subfamilies and six genera in this family. The Busyconidae Family is a relatively small family, with only eighteen species.
Description: Busyconid Whelk Shells are large, strong shells with a large body whorl and a long siphon canal. Their spire is lower than the height of the body whorl. Sculpting usually consists of rounded axial ribs and spiral cords. The shoulder may display knobs or spines. The apertures and large, with an elongate pear-shape. Some species in this family are sinistral, having a left-handed spiral. Shells in this family tend toward gray, brown, or flesh tone exterior coloration, often with darker axial lines, streaks, or zigzags. Their interiors may be brighter yellows and reds. The largest shells in this family exceed 40 cm (16 inches) in length.
Habitat and Distribution: Busyconid Whelk Shells are found on sand and mud substrates. They are usually found in shallow protected inlets. They can be found in the intertidal zone, and to depths of 75 m (246 feet). They are endemic to eastern North America, ranging from Massachusetts to the Yucatán Peninsula. Because they lack a planktonic larval form, they seldom move far from their parents. This limits their range to the shoreline of the mainland and very nearshore islands. The only exception to this limited range is a population of Channeled Whelks, Busycotypus canaliculatus, that were introduced to San Francisco Bay in the 1930’s, became established, and remain there currently. At least four members of the Busyconidae Family are found in Mexican waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Natural History: Busyconid Whelks are predatory carnivores that feed primarily on bivalves. They envelope their prey with their foot and use their shell to either wedge or chip an opening into the bivalve. They then insert their proboscis and use their radula to remove the animal from the shell. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. They eggs are laid as string of egg case. They hatch as fully formed miniature snails. These whelks are edible and harvested by small scale commercial fisheries. Some species are considered to be a delicacy. More often, they are marketed as conch.