Vernacular names: (Common) whelk; buckie; Cragen foch fwyaf (Welsh);
Shell teardrop shaped, 7-8 rounded whorls, large adults up to 120mm. Ornament spiral lines and ridges, varies between smooth and very rough. About eleven curved costae on each whorl, ranging from shallow to deep. Periostracum tan, may be thin or rubbed off. Shell solid, cream to yellowish, may be banded or spotted with reddish. Mouth oval, about 40% of height, inside deeper coloured and shiny, reflected lip, short canal. Size, proportions, shell thickness and colours very variable.
Key identification features
- Sinuous costae
- Short siphonal canal
- Pale brown to yellowish brown shell
Similar species
- Beringius turtoni Shell white, spire thinner, tan periostracum present
- Neptunea antiqua Shell heavier, larger, longer siphonal canal, sculpture less obvious
- Volutopsius norwegicus Shell white, porcellaneous, spire thinner, mouth elongate oval
Ecology and behaviour
Abundant on soft bottoms. Eats worms and bivalves, live and as carrion. Egg case balls washed up on beaches.
Distribution and status
The map provided here shows the distribution of the species based on Conchological Society data.