Habitat starting

Hi!  It's been a while.  Looking back it appears I couldn't be bothered updating the world with the end of my two week adventure in Australia.

Ah well, I shared my stories with friends and family in person (or at least over skype).

I'm writing this now in an effort to start a new habit.  I think that habit will be using one morning a week to write something here.  I'd like to start focusing on science stuff - try to share interesting stories as I work on my master's degree, or explain concepts in science.  Apparently scientists blogging/tweeting/facebooking is both uncommon and trendy.

Before I start on any other posts, though, I should probably introduce my interest of study.

Whelks!  Particularly, New Zealand's spotted whelk, Cominella maculosa.

What are whelks?  Whelks are basically a type of marine snails.  Only, they have a cooler shell.  Rather than a rounded shell (of which I have no pictures easily accessible), they have an elongated pointed shell (these images are NOT my whelks.  These are Australian whelks of unknown species.)
                                                 

I've got some of my whelks in my freezer at the moment.  I collected them in Waihi Beach during the NZ Molecular Ecology conference last weekend.  However, I'd rather go out on a fine day and take photographs of living specimen for you.

So, I guess I have my goal for next weeks post: I'll properly introduce you to the NZ spotted whelk and why I'm interested in it.  See ya then!