Dogwhelks Chow Down

Along the rocky coast of of Maine, three Dogwhelk snails (Nucella lapillus) chow down on barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides). Dogwhelks are intertidal snails with cone-shaped shells and are commonly found along rocky North Atlatic shores, in Europe, and the eastern side of the Siberian Artctic. They range in color from mostly white, to yellow, brown, grey or bands of alternating colors. Feeding mostly on barnacles and mussels, Dogwhelks also consume cockles and other gastropods and assorted bivalves.

When consuming prey, the Dogwhelk uses its radula - a flexible toothlike appendage - to rasp flesh or drill a small hole into its prey's shell. Then the Dogwhelk releases digestive enzymes that liquidize the prey and the Dogwhelk drinks this "soup."

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Image credit: Jonathan A. D. Fisher