Scientific name: Thais lapillus

Phylum: Mollusca

Class : Gastropoda

Description: Dogwinkles are commonly dull white with rounded spiral ridges, and their shell apertures large with strong flaring lips.

Distribution: Chiefly inter-tidal with a wide distribution from Eastern Long Island Sound to the Arctic, also in northern Europe .

Locomotion: Foot with pedal retractor muscles that attached to shell and dorsal mantle, and are used to raise, lower or shorten the foot.

Food gathering: Dogwinkle preys on other inter-tidal mollusks and barnacles. Radula with 1-3 teeth in each row is used for boring through the hard shells of prey items to get at the soft flesh beneath. At the same time chemicals are also secreted to weaken the shell.

Gas exchange:Dogwinkle has true gills beneath the shell.

Reproduction: The sexes are separated, male are with a penis. After internal fertilization, females lay egg cases. Larvae are free swimming trochophore and veliger.

Interesting facts: Dogwinkles secrete a purple dye that is used by American Indians. What is more, the change in diets is reflected in the shell color.