Species profile
Atlantic Dogwhelk
Nucella lapillus
Identify Atlantic Dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus) from a photo — free, unlimited, no sign-up — with the CatchRules iPhone app.
At a glance
Atlantic Dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus) is a marine snail present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 3,188 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Maine, Nova Scotia, and Massachusetts the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Shell color shifts from white to orange to dark depending on whether it eats barnacles or mussels.
- Found on both sides of the North Atlantic, from Labrador to New Jersey.
- Can live up to 10 years on sheltered rocky shores.
- Drills a neat hole through prey shells using a rasplike radula.
- Tributyltin antifouling paint once caused widespread reproductive failure in dogwhelk populations.
Where Atlantic Dogwhelk are seen
Background
The dog whelk, dogwhelk, or Atlantic dogwinkle, scientific name Nucella lapillus, is a species of predatory sea snail, a carnivorous marine gastropod in the family Muricidae, the rock snails.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Atlantic Dogwhelk article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Frequently asked questions
What is Atlantic Dogwhelk?
Atlantic Dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus) is a marine snail present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
What is the scientific name for Atlantic Dogwhelk?
Atlantic Dogwhelk is Nucella lapillus.
Are there fishing rules for Atlantic Dogwhelk?
Atlantic Dogwhelk does not currently have published fishing rules in CatchRules' curated jurisdictions. Identification, range, and habitat are still tracked above.
How can I identify Atlantic Dogwhelk?
Take a photo with the free CatchRules iPhone app — on-device identification recognizes Atlantic Dogwhelk along with ~1,500 other species. No sign-up, unlimited use.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.