Description: The outer shell is gray/white to tan with some dark brown streaks and the inner shell is yellow, orange, or red. Adult whelks are usually This whelk species feeds primarily on marine bivalves, ingesting their soft parts using its proboscis. "The approval date was April 16, 1987. The fluid-like substrate is home to a host of worms, small Georgian Ghost Shrimp (Biffarius biformis (Biffar, 1971)) gastropods (Busycon carica, Busycoptypus canaliculatus, Oliva sayana, Sinum perspectivum, and Terebra disolocata), bivalves, the Stone Crab, Menippe mercenaria, and adult and juvenile horseshoe "crabs," Limulus polyphemus. As living snails, or as empty shells on the beach, they are fairly easy to distinguish, and are appropriately named. Busycon carica Contributor: William D. Anderson DESCRIPTION Taxonomy and Basic Description First described by Gmelin in 1791, the knobbed whelk, Busycon carica, is a member of the family Melongenidae. Knobbed whelks live all along the east coast of the United States ranging from Massachusetts to Florida. 6.5 in. Whelks have flourished off of South Carolina in the Atlantic for over 30 million years. Habitat: Found just off sandy shores below the tide line from 0 to 58 meters deep. Habitat. Four species of whelks can be found in northeast Florida. Sinistrofulgur perversum and Busycon carica Lightning whelks can be found in the sandy or muddy substrate of shallow embayments. Cone Shell: Conus daucus. There are two common species of whelk in this area: the Channeled Whelk (Busycon canaliculatum) and the Knobbed Whelk (Busycon carica). Its normal habitat is in Caribbean waters; this specimen may actually be prehistoric.) Busycon carica Range/Geographical Distribution: Along the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to middle Florida. Life habits. Habitat. Busycon carica (Gmelin, 1791) knobbed whelk Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2100: This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed. Common Names. Knobby Whelk Busycon carica Grows up to 12" long found all along the East coastline of the United States. Channeled Whelk: Busycon canaliculatum. ... Busycon contrarium grow up to 41 cm in length (Magalhaes 1948). Habitat: Shallow waters including bays, beaches, and estuaries. Knobbed whelk. Pollution in the New York Bight is an extremely significant problem. Lightning Whelk (Busycon perversum pulleyi)Description Lightning whelks reach a length of 2.5 to 16 inches (6 to 40 cm). Their distinguishing characteristics include their off-white to tan or gray shell with narrow, brown "lightning" streaks from the top of the shell to the bottom. Georgia House of Representatives and the Senate, declared "the Knobbed Whelk, Busycon carica, is designated as the official Georgia seashell. in weight. in length. Range & Description. 1.1 lbs. Life History: A predator that feeds on bivalves by drilling a hole and feeding on the inner tissue. Back to Gastropod seashells identification guide Busycon carica. They represent our largest beach snails, and their shells can grow to be 7 to 9 inches long. HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION. Females lay egg masses surrounded by sand and mucus for protection. Georgia State Sea Shell Knobbed Whelk (Busycon carica gmelin) Adopted on April 16, 1987. ... Busycon carica - Knobbed Whelk. Knobbed whelks, along with all whelks, are not just shells laying on the beach. (A rare specimen from Bight waters. Knobbed Whelk: Busycon carica. The lightning whelk is less common than other members in the genus Busycon. Of the four, the Lightning Whelk is by far the most common while the Pear Whelk is …