List of U.S. state shells

This is a list of official state shells for those States of the USA that have chosen to select one as part of their state insignia.

These are seashell

Seashell

A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers...

s, the shells of various marine

Marine (ocean)

Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...

 mollusks including both gastropod and bivalves. Each one was chosen to represent a maritime

Sea

A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...

 state, based on the fact that the species occurs in that state and was considered suitable to represent the state, either because of the species commercial importance as a local seafood

Seafood

Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...

 item, or because of its beauty, rarity, exceptional size, or other features.

State	Shell	Image	Year designated
Alabama Alabama Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...	Johnstone's Junonia Scaphella junonia Scaphella junonia Scaphella junonia, common name the "junonia," is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes.This species lives in deep water in the tropical Western Atlantic... subspecies johnstoneae		1990
Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...	Eastern Oyster Eastern oyster The eastern oyster — also called Atlantic oyster or Virginia oyster — is a species of true oyster native to the eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of North America. It is also farmed in Puget Sound, Washington, where it is known as the Totten Inlet Virginica. Eastern oysters are and have...   Crassostrea virginica		1989
Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...	Horse Conch Pleuroploca gigantea Pleuroploca gigantea Pleuroploca gigantea, common name the Florida horse conch, is a species of extremely large predatory subtropical and tropical sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle snails, tulip snails and their allies....		1969
Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...	Knobbed Whelk Knobbed whelk The knobbed whelk, Busycon carica, is a species of very large predatory sea snail, or in the USA, a whelk, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the busycon whelks....   Busycon carica		1987
Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...	Wrinkled Whelk Neptunea lyrata Neptunea lyrata Neptunea lyrata, common name ribbed neptune, inflated whelk or lyre neptune, is a species of large sea snail, a fossil marine gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae....  decemcostata		1987
Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...	Eastern Oyster Eastern oyster The eastern oyster — also called Atlantic oyster or Virginia oyster — is a species of true oyster native to the eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of North America. It is also farmed in Puget Sound, Washington, where it is known as the Totten Inlet Virginica. Eastern oysters are and have...	Crassostrea virginica	1974
New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...	Knobbed Whelk Knobbed whelk The knobbed whelk, Busycon carica, is a species of very large predatory sea snail, or in the USA, a whelk, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the busycon whelks....   Busycon carica		1995
New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...	Bay Scallop Atlantic calico scallop The Atlantic calico scallop, Argopecten gibbus, is a species of medium-sized edible saltwater clam, specifically a scallop, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Pectinidae, the scallops....   Argopecten irradians Argopecten irradians Argopecten irradians, formerly classified as Aequipecten irradians, common names the "Atlantic bay scallop" or "bay scallop", is an edible species of saltwater clam, a scallop, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Pectinidae, the scallops....		1988
North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...	Scotch bonnet Scotch Bonnet (shell) Semicassis granulata, also known as Phalium granulatum, common names the Scotch bonnet or ridged bonnet, is a medium-sized species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the subfamily Cassinae....   Semicassis granulata		1965
Oregon Oregon Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...	Oregon Hairy Triton Fusitriton oregonensis The Oregon hairy triton, Fusitriton oregonensis, is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ranellidae, the tritons....   Fusitriton oregonensis Fusitriton oregonensis The Oregon hairy triton, Fusitriton oregonensis, is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ranellidae, the tritons....		1989
Rhode Island Rhode Island The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...	Northern Quahog  Mercenaria mercenaria		1987
South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...	Lettered Olive Lettered olive The lettered olive, Oliva sayana, is a species of large predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Olividae, the olive shells, olive snails, or olives.-Subspecies:Oliva sayana contains the following subspecies:...   Oliva sayana		1984
Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...	Prickly Whelk Busycon perversum subspecies pulleyi		1989
Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...	Eastern Oyster Eastern oyster The eastern oyster — also called Atlantic oyster or Virginia oyster — is a species of true oyster native to the eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of North America. It is also farmed in Puget Sound, Washington, where it is known as the Totten Inlet Virginica. Eastern oysters are and have... Crassostrea virginica		1974