Speckled whelk facts for kids
Cominella adspersa, also known as the speckled whelk or kawari in Maori, is a type of sea snail. It lives in the ocean and is a predator, meaning it hunts other animals for food. This marine gastropod mollusc belongs to the family Buccinidae, which are known as the true whelks.
Quick facts for kids Speckled whelk |
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| Shell of Cominella adspersa (holotype at MNHN, Paris) | |
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Contents
What Does the Speckled Whelk Look Like?
The shell of the speckled whelk can be between 25 mm (about 1 inch) and 75 mm (about 3 inches) long.
Shell Color and Pattern
The shell is a reddish-brown color. It has an oval shape, but it's longer than it is wide. The entire shell has many small grooves or lines. These lines go across the shell, and there are also very fine lines that run lengthwise, creating a woven pattern.
Shell Structure
The top part of the shell, called the spire, is pointed. It is made up of seven sections, called whorls. Each whorl, except for the very bottom one, has bumps or ridges that run along its length.
Inside the Shell
The columella is the central pillar inside the shell. It sticks out a little bit near a small opening at the base of the shell. The opening of the shell, called the aperture, is oval-shaped. It has a thick, hard area on the left side that is a beautiful reddish color. The outer edge of the aperture is curved and has folds on its inner side, matching the grooves on the outside of the shell.
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Different views of a speckled whelk shell
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Looking at the opening of the shell
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Looking at the top of the shell
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Where Do Speckled Whelks Live?
The Cominella adspersa is found only in New Zealand. You can find it along the coast of the North Island, the northern part of the South Island, and also around the Chatham Islands.
See also
In Spanish: Cominella adspersa para niños
