海うみほおずき

noun

whelk egg case; gastropod egg capsule

Refers to the leathery, clustered egg cases of certain sea snails, often found washed up on beaches. Sometimes compared to the plant ほおずき (Chinese lantern) because of a vague resemblance.

• 砂すな浜はまに海うみほおずきがたくさん打うち上あげられていた。

  Many whelk egg cases had washed up on the sandy beach.

• 海うみほおずきは巻まき貝がいの卵たまごが入はいったカプセルです。

  A whelk egg case is a capsule containing the eggs of a sea snail.