Whelk


Whelks are any of several carnivorous sea snail species with a swirling, tapered shell. Many are eaten by humans, such as the common whelk of the North Atlantic. Most whelks belong to the family Buccinidae and are known as "true whelks." Others, such as the dog whelk, belong to several sea snail families that are not closely related.
True whelks are carnivorous, and feed on annelids, crustaceans, mussels and other molluscs, drilling holes through shells to gain access to the soft tissues. Whelks use chemoreceptors to locate their prey.
Many have historically been used, or are still used, by humans and other animals as food. In a reference serving of whelk, there are of food energy, 24 g of protein, 0.34 g of fat, and 8 g of carbohydrates.
Dog whelk, a predatory species, was used in antiquity to make a rich red dye that improves in color as it ages.

Usage

The common name "whelk" is also spelled welk or even wilk.
The species, genera and families referred to by this common name vary a great deal from one geographic area to another.

Asia

In Japan, whelks are frequently used in sashimi and sushi. In Vietnam, they are served in a dish called Bún ốc - vermicelli with sea snails. is a Korean dish consisting of whelks and with chili sauce in a salad with cold noodles. It has been a very popular side dish with alcohol for many generations.

Australia, New Zealand

In Australia and New Zealand, species of the genus Cabestana are called predatory whelks, and species of Penion are called siphon whelks.

Brazil

In Brazil, there is a very popular Afro-Brazilian divination game practiced by older women of African ancestry called jogo de búzios, which uses empty shells of these gastropods.

United Kingdom and Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands

In the British Isles, Belgium and the Netherlands, the word is used for a number of species in the family Buccinidae, especially Buccinum undatum, an edible European and Northern Atlantic species.
In the British Isles, the common name "dog whelk" is used for Nucella lapillus and for Nassarius species. Historically, they were a popular street food in Victorian London, typically located close to public houses and theatres.

Scotland

In Scotland, the word "whelk" is also used to mean the periwinkle, family Littorinidae.

United States

In the United States, whelk refers to several large edible species in the genera Busycon and Busycotypus, which are now classified in the family Buccinidae. These are sometimes called Busycon whelks.
In addition, the unrelated invasive species Rapana venosa is referred to as the Veined rapa whelk or Asian rapa whelk; it's a murex in the family Muricidae.

West Indies

In the English-speaking islands of the West Indies, the word whelks or wilks is applied to a large edible top shell, Cittarium pica, also known as the magpie or West Indian top shell, family Trochidae.

Some common examples