Nassarius reticulatus

Nassarius reticulatus case of

The netted dog whelk ( Nassarius reticulatus ) is a species of snail from the family of Nassariidae. It is also home to the North Sea.

Description

The right-handed, thick-walled, ungenabelte shell is ovoid and has a tapered thread and a significant Siphonalkanal. It reaches in adult worm a height of 2 to 2.5, sometimes from 3.5 cm and a width of about 1.5 cm. Through longitudinal folds and spirally extending strip it has a net-like shaped surface. The housing usually brownish in color and has dark stripes. The spindle is bluish white with a translucent brown color of the shell.

Occurrence

The netted dog whelks are found on the coasts of Europe in the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and the North Sea to Norway. It requires a salt content of 1.5 percent, so that they only from 5 meters depth occurs in the Baltic Sea and is missing in the eastern Baltic. It grows mainly on soft soils up to 50 feet of water, where they can burrow underground.

Nutrition

Netted dog snails feed mainly on carrion, which they can perceive with their sensitive sense of smell from 30 feet away. Sometimes they also eat live prey such as the eggs of the dogfish Großgefleckten by pricking the yolk and suck.

Enemies

Main enemies of the netted dog whelks are sea stars. Also moon snails prey netted dog snails.