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Wikipedia / Whelk

Whelks or welks 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 (family Buccinidae) 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, 24g of protein, 0.34g of fat, and 8g 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, or is a general term for mid- or large-sized species of the Buccinidae family, i.e., true whelks, including Buccinum spp. and Neptunea spp. (e.g. Neptunea arthritica). These are eaten braised or grilled and nowadays used in sushi, but tsubu-gai was formerly not typically used by sushi establishments. One warning is that the Neptunea genus has a gland containing the toxin tetramine (Tetramethylammonium).

In Korea, the () marketed as "whelk" refers specifically to the moon snail Neverita didyma often eaten as snack food, e.g. in the dish called (), a sort of mixed salad consisting of this whelk (moon snail) blended with chili sauce and cold noodles. It has been a very "quintessential" side dish with alcohol. This species is also known by the common name ().

Australia, New Zealand

In Australia and New Zealand, species of the genus Cabestana (family Ranellidae) are called predatory whelks, and species of Penion (family Buccinidae) 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 (game of whelks), which uses empty shells of these gastropods.

United Kingdom and Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands

In the British Isles, Belgium and the Netherlands (wulk/wullok), 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 (family Muricidae) and for Nassarius species (family Nassariidae). Historically, they were a popular street food in Victorian London, sold from stalls typically located close to public houses and theatres.

Scotland

In Scotland, the word "whelk" is also used to mean the periwinkle (Littorina littorea), 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 despite it being a murex in the family Muricidae.

West Indies

In the English-speaking islands of the West Indies, the word whelks or wilks (this word is both singular and plural) 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

See also

  • Conch, another common name used for a wide variety of large sea snails or their shells

Explanatory notes

References