Whelk is a common name that is applied to various kinds of sea snail, many of which have historically been used, or are still used, by humans and other animals for food.

Although a number of whelks are relatively large and are in the family Buccinidae (the true whelks), the word whelk is also applied to some other marine gastropod mollusc species within several families of sea snails that are not very closely related.

How many whelks have moved north
and become wulks in the Scottish dialect?
No one can say, not even a marine biologist.

A sea snail on a voyage of survival,
common little mollusc, periwinkle;
may a star shine over every true whelk.