Species profile
Frilled Dogwinkle
Nucella lamellosa
At a glance
Frilled Dogwinkle (Nucella lamellosa) 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 8,402 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- The largest Pacific dogwinkle, reaching up to 5 cm in length.
- Shell frills are dramatic in calm waters but wear nearly smooth in wave-beaten habitats.
- Drills through barnacle and mussel shells using a toothed, acid-secreting radula.
- Ranges from Alaska to northern California on rocky intertidal shores.
Where Frilled Dogwinkle are seen
Background
Nucella lamellosa is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Frilled Dogwinkle article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other marine snails (whelk/conch) on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.