The ridges tend to be pale in color and the furrows between them dark, typically brown, gray, black, orange or yellow.

Its range extends down the western coast of North America from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, to Cayucos, California.

Having selected its prey, the dogwinkle drills into the shell with its radula, injects digestive enzymes which liquefy the tissues, and sucks out the contents.

[3] The dogwinkle is itself eaten by the purple sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) and the red rock crab (Cancer productus).

It lays its eggs in clusters of stalked capsules, known as "sea oats", which are attached to rocks high up in the intertidal zone.