Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 7575028
Perverse Lightning Whelk
Sinistrofulgur perversumAlso known as Lightning Whelk, Left-Handed Whelk
Perverse lightning whelks are distinctive predatory sea snails recognized by their sinistral, left-opening shell spirals and dark brown zig-zag stripes resembling lightning bolts. Methodical hunters of coastal estuaries, they use the heavy edge of their shell as a wedge to pry open hard clams and oysters before inserting a long proboscis to feed. Females lay distinctive long, disc-shaped egg strings that anchor in sandy sediment and often drift ashore during winter storms.
MarinePredatorMollusk
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Hard Clam
- Eastern Oyster
- Ribbed Mussel
Predators
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle
- Blue Crab
- Gulls
ThreatsCoastal development, overcollecting of decorative shells, and habitat degradation
HabitatsShallow coastal waters, estuarine mudflats, sandbars, and seagrass beds
Life span20–30 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyBusyconidae
- SpeciesSinistrofulgur perversum
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Shell Identification: Look for the sinistral opening on the left side when holding the shell upright with the spire pointing up.
- Observe Tide Pools: Search shallow estuaries and mudflats at low tide to spot live individuals gliding across wet sand.
- Respect Live Mollusks: Return live whelks to the water immediately and leave occupied shells in their natural marine habitat.
Prey Ken Hammond / Public domain · cc0
Predator "Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)" by brian.gratwicke is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) botanygirl, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by botanygirl · cc-by
Close Relative (c) JoshuaDavisPhotography. COM, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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