Middendorf's whelk
A species of sea snail; the name is a taxonomic term and may not be widely known outside of biological contexts.
The Ezo whelk is a type of sea snail found along the coast of Hokkaido.
Kanji spelling is uncommon; the katakana form エゾバイ is standard.
The name combines 蝦夷 (Ezo, old name for Hokkaido) and 貝 (shellfish), referring to its habitat. The exact derivation is uncertain.