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Sinistrofulgur sinistrum (Hollister, 1958)
Lightning Whelk
Synonym(s): Busycon sinistrum Hollister, 1958
Florida native
Lightning whelks are a marine species of mollusk found in all coastal areas of Florida. The range includes the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and the north Atlantic Ocean. Shells can be found washed up on beaches from the Yucatan Peninsula to New Jersey.
Sinistrofulgur sinistrum has a left-handed shell (when the shell is held upright with the spiral at the top, the opening is on the left). Shells are 20-45cm (~8 to 18 in.) long with a short spire on top, a distinct shoulder with low to moderate knobs, and a long siphonal canal at the opposite end. The shell coloring is pale with dark stripes that run down much of the length of the shell.
To see what whelk egg cases look like, visit the Knobbed Whelk page.
Sinistrofulgur sinistrum is a member of the Busyconidae - Whelks family.
iNaturalist profile for this species
Date record last modified: Nov 22, 2025
