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.[1]
These are seashells, the shells of various marine mollusks including both gastropod and bivalves. Each one was chosen to represent a maritime 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 item, or because of its beauty, rarity, exceptional size, or other features.
| State | Shell | Image | Year designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Johnstone's Junonia Scaphella junonia subspecies johnstoneae |
1990[2] | |
| Connecticut | Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica |
1989 | |
| Florida | Horse Conch Pleuroploca gigantea |
1969 | |
| Georgia | Knobbed Whelk Busycon carica |
1987 | |
| Massachusetts | Wrinkled Whelk Neptunea lyrata decemcostata |
1987 | |
| Mississippi | Eastern Oyster |
Crassostrea virginica |
1974 |
| New Jersey | Knobbed Whelk Busycon carica |
1995 | |
| New York | Bay Scallop Argopecten irradians |
1988 | |
| North Carolina | Scotch bonnet Semicassis granulata |
1965[3] | |
| Oregon | Oregon Hairy Triton Fusitriton oregonensis |
1989 | |
| Rhode Island | Northern Quahog Mercenaria mercenaria |
1987 | |
| South Carolina | Lettered Olive Oliva sayana |
1984 | |
| Texas | Prickly Whelk Busycon perversum subspecies pulleyi |
1989 | |
| Virginia | Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica |
1974 |
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