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.
I love the vibrant orange colour of these shells – lovely images Jessica…
Thank you, Evelyn.
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!
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.