Most bucchinids are marine, where they occur in a wide range of habitats, from shallow waters to abyssal, in polar to tropical longitudes. The larger species tend to live in colder, more temperate and deeper waters, whereas the smaller species are common in intertidal habitats. There are a small number of freshwater whelks, almost all of which belong to the Asian genus Clea (about 11 species).

(Kozloff 1990)