Family Buccinidae

Shell size up to 38 cm; shell left-handed (or sinistral, coiling to left), heavy, with flattened spire. Shell shoulders with small knobs. Color tan, shells under 7" have axial brown streaks. Very common on mud flats, bay waters. May be conspecific with Sinistrofulgur perversum (Linnaeus, 1758) from western Gulf of Mexico. Sinistrofulgur contrarium (Conrad, 1840) is a fossil species from Carolinas. Right-handed specimens (see image 3) are rare. Egg cases are strung in long "chains" resembling dry snake skin (see image 6). The females are larger than males and, during the reproductive season, are usually approached by a number of them at the same time. The fifth picture in this series, taken by Amy Tripp in Marco Island, shows a female surrounded by nine males. The main picture represents a dark, 100mm specimen collected by Kim Nealon on Captiva, March 2010. Formerly placed in the genus Busycon.

Shell size up to 15 cm; shell with large body whorl. Suture deeply impressed. Broad aperture gently narrowing to become siphonal canal. Specimens from southwest Florida have smooth, rounded shoulder, whereas those from Texas have strongly angled shoulder. Operculum horny. Color cream with axial reddish-brown streaks. Egg cases resemble those of the Lightning Whelk, but are smaller, thinner, and bear "spikes" around the edges.