Hi Nicky
Just to add a complication or two... Dogwhelks seem to be the preferred
shells for small hermit crabs to inhabit round my home town (Arbroath in NE
Scotland), despite the greater availability of Littorina shells. Are hermit
crabs edible?
And dogwhelks can get snared by byssus threads in mussel beds, so you might
expect a few stray dogwhelk shells if you are collecting Mytilus. But that
doesn't sound likely from the high proportion in your assemblage.
Cheers
Amanda Kear
BBC Natural History Unit
Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR, UK
tel +44 117 9732211 (switchboard) xt 42764
fax +44 117 9237708
email [log in to unmask]
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nicky Milner [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 1:02 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: dogwhelks
>
> I've just gone through a Meso assemblage from a site we're digging up
> in Northumberland. Dogwhelks make up 71% of the current assemblage.
> The other species on the whole are small and or colourful (such as
> flat periwinkles, cowries, topshell) but there are a few edible and
> rough periwinkles and a few limpets. As one of the cowries appears to
> be perforated as well I think that most of the shells are being
> collected for aesthetics rather than food but I'm just wondering
> whether anyone has any experience of, or knows any references
> regarding eating the dogwhelk, Nucella lapillus? This seems to be a
> problem frequently encountered when dealing with shell assemblages
> and there are many other sites where this species can be found in
> substantial numbers. I know it can be used for dye but I think you
> would expect to find the shell crushed if this was the case. The only
> things I have read or heard about the dogwhelk regarding consumption
> is that they are completely unpalatable and even fish won't take them
> as bait.
> Jim, perhaps you'd have another look in Mrs Beeton for me?!
>
> Nicky
> Dr Nicky Milner
> Sir James Knott Research Fellow
> Dept. of Archaeology
> University of Newcastle
> Newcastle-upon-Tyne
> NE1 7RU
> 0191 222 5754 (office)
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