Stimpson's Whelk (Colus stimpsoni)
Stimpson's Whelk (Colus stimpsoni)
Common name: Stimpson's whelk
Scientific name: Colus stimpsoni
Locations: lower intertidal or deep water
Seasonality: available year round
Colors: nut brown color with white shelled areas
Size: 1" - 3"
Collected: by hand, lobster traps, or whelk pots
Quantity: sold by the each
Two snails. You can observe broke threads of a mussel on the spire of the righthand snail. A mussel was anchored to it at some point.
Tidepool Tim says, “Stimpson's whelk is an impressive snail - they are so unique in their shell design that they are striking to see. We get lots of hermit crabs living in their shells. Flat-clawed, Acadian, and hairy hermits seem to inhabit them. Barnacles, hydroids, & slipper shells like to attach to their shells. These scavengers are attracted to lobster bait in traps and consequently are caught there. We get them in our whelk traps and also when we take bottom samples. These gastropods make a nice addition to any salt water aquarium!”
