True Whelk Shells of the Austrosiphonidae Family

One True Whelk Shell of the Austrosiphonidae Family can be found in this website:

Kellet’s Whelk Shell, Kelletia kelletii. A representative of the Austrosiphonidae Family of True Whelk Shells.

Phylogeny: True Whelk Shells of the Austrosiphonidae Family are gastropod mollusks in the order Neogastropoda. Neogastropods are characterized by having a long siphonal canal, a well developed siphonal notch,  and a specialized radula. Many species in this Order have a narrow aperture. Neogastropods are primarily marine snails and most of the well-known shell families are in this order. The Austrosiphonidae Family is in the superfamily Buccinoidea, which is one of seven superfamilies in this order. Superfamily Buccinoidea consists of twenty families. The Austrosiphonidae Family is fairly small, with no subfamilies, four genera, and sixteen species. Shells in this family are also commonly called Austrosiphonids. Until 2021, the Austrosiphonidae Family was considered to be a synonym of the Buccinidae Family. Through molecular phylogeny, Austrosiphonidae was determined to be a valid family. Like most families in the superfamily Buccinoidea, there is a lot of activity moving species in and out of the existing families.

Description: True Whelk Shells are generally spindle-shaped. Most species consist of 5 or 6 whorls. They are fairly solid shells with a large body whorl, and a high pointy spire. The shoulders of the whorls may be rounded or marked with knobs or points. These shells have large apertures. The outer lip may be thin or moderately thick, and it may be smooth or marked with ridges. The siphon may be moderately long to long, but it is always open. The exterior of these shells may be smooth or marked with axial or spiral ridges. Their operculum is corneous (made of horn-like material). Most species of True Whelk Shells have drab coloration, usually a mix of white and brown. True Whelks are fairly large, with some species reaching more than 24 cm (9.4 inches) in height.

Habitat and Distribution: True Whelk Shells maybe found attached to rocks or on sand and mud substrates. They are found in the shallow subtidal zone and to depths exceeding 615 m (2,017 feet).  True Whelk Shells are found in tropical to polar seas, including both the Arctic and Antarctic. While True Whelk Shells are widespread, only one species is found in Mexican waters.

Natural History: Most True Whelk species are predatory carnivores, though some are scavengers. They are prey for crabs, fish, sea stars and predatory mollusks. True Whelk Shells are gonochoric and reproduce sexually with internal fertilization. Some whelk species are edible and are harvested commercially. Other species are considered unsafe to eat because they accumulate the neurotoxin tetramine.