My Boring Whelk

Actually, it is pretty interesting! I have one whelk in my aquarium, and a ready supply of cultured mussels from my local market. This is good, as whelks eat lots of mussels. Whelks have

a gland that secretes a chemical that softens calcium carbonate so the radula (basically like a rough tongue) can efficiently be used to bore a hole in the shell of the prey. When the drilling process is completed, the whelk extends its proboscis into the prey and begins feeding.

First photo is radula, second one showing teeth on tip of radula.

My whelk on a mussel.

I am holding a mussel shell with a perfect little hole drilled into it.

Mussels have a foot like clams, but only use it to attach themselves to objects like rocks on the rocky shores with secreted byssus threads. They can't move around after that, so are the perfect meal!