Dog Whelks on Honeycomb Reef

Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus) on honeycomb reef (made by the marine polychaete worm Sabellaria alveolata) at low tide in Swansea Bay are frequently encrusted by barnacles and many have unusual shells that are partially imbricated. See page 5 Smith, Ian. (2014). Nucella lapillus, identification and biology.. 10.13140/2.1.4382.4006.

4 Replies to “Dog Whelks on Honeycomb Reef”

Evelyn says:

October 23, 2018 at 3:09 pm

I love the vibrant orange colour of these shells – lovely images Jessica…

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winderjssc says:

October 23, 2018 at 3:16 pm

Thank you, Evelyn.

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Claudia McGill says:

October 23, 2018 at 6:01 pm

I wonder about their name? Do you know why these exquisite shells are called this? And once again I marvel at your gift for capturing the beauty of the sea and all its accessories!

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winderjssc says:

October 24, 2018 at 7:22 am

Thank you, Claudia. I don’t know why they are call dog whelks. I can’t find an explanation anywhere. They are lovely shells with lots of different colours. Variations in shape and detail of the shell formation can be directly related to the physical environmental conditions in which they are living.

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