A chin whelk is a type of marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the family Buccinidae. Also known as Buccinum undatum, it is a medium-sized predatory sea snail that is commonly found on the Western coasts of Europe and North America.
The shell of a chin whelk is distinctive, with a typical shape resembling an elongated cone, gradually tapering towards the pointed apex. The shell's coloration can range from light gray to brown, often exhibiting a pattern of spiraling bands. The shell may grow up to five centimeters in length, providing a protective home for the whelk's soft body.
Chin whelks inhabit intertidal zones, favoring rocky shores and sandy or muddy substrates. They are opportunistic predators, primarily feeding on other gastropods and bivalves. With the help of their muscular foot, they crawl along the ocean floor in search of prey.
In terms of reproductive behavior, chin whelks are sequential hermaphrodites, starting life as males and later transitioning into females as they grow older. They lay numerous egg capsules, each containing numerous eggs, which they attach to hard substrates. From these eggs, tiny larvae called veligers hatch, spending several weeks drifting in the water column before settling to the bottom and undergoing metamorphosis into juvenile whelks.
The chin whelk population is generally stable, although it is occasionally harvested for human consumption or commercial use in the fishing bait industry.
