Whelks

Whelk is a common name that is applied to various kinds of sea snail, many of which have historically been used, or are still used, by humans and other animals for food. They have also been anciently used to make a rich red dye that actually improves in colour as it ages.

Although a number of whelks are relatively large and are in the family Buccinidae (the true whelks), the word whelk is also applied to some other marine gastropod mollusc species within several families of sea snails that are not very closely related.

True whelks are carnivorous, feeding on worms, crustaceans, mussels and other molluscs, drilling holes through shells to gain access to the soft tissues. Whelks use chemoreceptors to locate their prey.

The common name "whelk" is also spelled welk or even wilks. The word originated from the Proto-Germanic root "weluka", which may come from the Proto-Indo-European root "wel-", meaning to turn or revolve.

The species, genera and families referred to by this common name vary a great deal from one geographic area to another.

There are 137 calories in 100g from 24g of protein 0.34g of fat and 8g of carbs in average Whelk.

In the United States, whelk refers to several large edible species in the genera Busycon and Busycotypus, which are now classified in the family Buccinidae. These are sometimes called Busycon whelks.

In addition, the unrelated invasive murex Rapana venosa is referred to as the Veined rapa whelk or Asian rapa whelk in the family Muricidae.

In the British Isles, Belgium and the Netherlands, the word is used for a number of species in the family Buccinidae, especially Buccinum undatum, an edible European and Northern Atlantic species.

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