Busycon carica

Busycon carica (Gmelin, 1791)
Knobbed whelk

photo by O'Keefe, Jo

Family:	Melongenidae (Melongenas)
Max. size:	24.9 cm DL (male/unsexed)
Environment:	benthic; marine; depth range 0 - 75 m
Distribution:	Western Atlantic Ocean: USA: From Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Cape Canaveral, Florida (Ref. 101477); Mexico: northern coast of Campeche (Ref. 101490).
Diagnosis:
Biology:	Maximum depth from Ref. 104440. Intertidal (Ref. 106829) to subtidal (Ref. 101477). Found in sand flats (Ref. 101477). Carnivorous. Forages on intertidal flats and creeks fringed by oyster reef and in subtidal channels (Ref. 106829). Preys on bivalves (Refs. 101524, 101525) such as oysters, scallops and clams (Ref. 106829). It uses the lip of its shell, synchronous with its foot, to penetrate, break off and force open the valves of its prey (Refs. 101524, 101525).
IUCN Red List Status:	Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:
Country info:

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