Atlantic Dogwhelk

Also known as Dog Whelk, Atlantic Dogwinkle, Northern Dog Whelk

Atlantic dogwhelks are specialized intertidal predators that drill through the calcareous shells of barnacles and mussels using a tooth-lined radula lubricated with acid-secreting enzymes. They show striking shell variation, growing thick, squatter shells on wave-pounded headlands and thinner, taller shells in sheltered bays. During low tide, they congregate in damp rocky crevices and under dense kelp canopies to prevent desiccation and avoid foraging shorebirds.