New England Dog Whelk Colloquial Nickname: Dog whelk Scientific name: Nassarius trivittatus

Field Markings: The shell ranges in color from white to yellow- gray to dark reddish-brown, and occasionally has brown spiral stripes Size: 1 inch long, half an inch wide The color and shape of the dog whelk changes in relation to Habitat: Rocky, sandy, shallow intertidal area its geographical location and the prey it has consumed. Dog Seasonal Appearance: Year-round whelks that eat mussels are predominately dark reddish-brown, while whelks consuming barnacles are white to light yellowish- brown. Dog whelks living in high-energy environments, such DISTINGUISHING FEATURES AND as beaches, have smaller ridges than whelks from quieter marshes BEHAVIORS and inlets. New England dog whelks are small, one-shelled mollusks distinguishable by their pointed spiral shells, raised beads along RELATIONSHIP TO PEOPLE the ridges and sharp The New England dog whelk is one of the most common scalloped outer lips. Rarely snail species found solitary, this species of along the Narragansett whelk is often found in Bay shoreline, but it is clumps of many individuals. well-camouflaged and Despite their small size, moves slowly, making it dog whelks are scavengers inconspicuous. and predators. They feed Egg masses, mostly on dead fish but are resembling clumps of capable of drilling holes into puffed rice, are the hard shells of mollusks commonly found on using a tooth-covered drill beaches in early called the radula. After summer. drilling the hole, the dog whelk feeds upon the soft flesh of the mollusk with its proboscis, an organ that includes the radula, mouth and esophagus. HOW TO GET YOUR OWN COPY Different methods of attack are implemented depending upon RISAA members can purchase their own copy of The Uncommon Guide To Common Life on Narragansett Bay the prey. When feeding on barnacles, for example, the whelk will for $15 from the RISAA Merchandise Committee. Stop by pry open the top plates rather than drilling a hole. the committee table at any monthly RISAA meeting.

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