Eggs from the whelk are placed in capsules that are adhered to fungus-like egg masses which lie freely on the seabed. There may be over 1000 capsules glued together and it can easily be from several whelks that find together after mating to put eggs in the same lump. In each capsule, about 1000 eggs are added, most of which are “nutritional eggs”. Only about 30 eggs develop, but even before hatching they eat, in addition to the nutritional eggs, also of each other, so that in all only about 10 cubs hatch from each capsule.
Did you know that:
There may be up to 15,000 lenticular egg capsules in one of the yellow-white lumps of the cone which can be found on the beach.
