Pear Whelk, busycoptypus spiratus

Slender and more delicate looking than the other whelks, the pear whelk, busycoptypus spiratus has more delicate whirls. Also known as the fig whelk, the pear whelk has angled shoulders that are relatively smooth, though it’s similar in shape to the channeled whelk. They are generally smaller, though. Live snails are covered with a thin fuzz, called a periostracum. At one point, we had a live one in the touch tank.

Live snails are most commonly found in muddy sand in shallow waters, and their streamlined shape helps them move quickly through the sand toward prey that might move away. Their most common predator is the stone crab.