Shell Guide

The holy grail of Sanibel shelling. A cream-colored volute shell covered in perfectly spaced brown spots arranged in spiral rows. Breathtakingly beautiful.

A large, dramatic scallop with thick ridges topped with hollow knobs. Deep red, orange, or purple. One of the most beautiful shells in the world.

A large, left-handed spiral shell with lightning bolt-like brown stripes. The Florida state shell. One of the most prized finds on Sanibel.

A chunky, orange-brown conch with a flared lip. Called 'fighting' because males battle each other by ramming shells together.

A smooth, glossy, torpedo-shaped shell with intricate brownish markings that look like tiny letters or hieroglyphics.

An elegant spindle-shaped shell with fine spiral bands of brown and grey. Smoother and more delicate than the true tulip.

A larger, more colorful cousin of the banded tulip with bold brownish-orange spiral markings. A trophy find.

A cone-shaped shell covered in rows of orange-brown dashes that resemble letters of an alphabet. Smooth and satisfying to hold.

A round, bumpy shell with raised knobs and a wide opening. Usually brown or tan with a bright orange-pink interior.

A delicate shell with frilly, lace-like projections along its ridges. White to pinkish with intricate sculptural detail.

The largest snail in North America. A massive spindle-shaped shell that can reach 2 feet long. Young shells are bright orange; older ones fade to tan.

A dark, chunky shell with a ring of pointed spines around its shoulder that looks like a crown. Dark brown to black.

A flat, round disc with a five-pointed star pattern on top. Brown or purple when alive; bleaches white in the sun.

A small, intricately ridged shell with a crosshatch pattern resembling a nutmeg seed. Cream to light brown.

A small, smooth cone shell with orange-brown bands and a pointed spire. More common than the alphabet cone.

A tiny, pure white spiral shell with blade-like ribs winding up the spire like a spiral staircase. Exquisitely delicate.

A thin, inflated oval shell that's smooth and semi-translucent. Mottled brown and cream patterns.

A flat, ear-shaped shell that's paper-thin and translucent. Smooth and white, shaped exactly like a tiny ear.

A round, smooth, grey-brown shell with a distinctive dark 'eye' marking (the umbilicus). Perfectly smooth and satisfying to hold.

A rounded shell with a checkerboard pattern of grooves, resembling a Scottish bonnet cap. Cream with brown squares.

A large, smooth, elongated clam with beautiful radiating rays of lavender and brown on a polished cream surface.

Tiny, colorful butterfly-shaped clams found in huge numbers in the surf zone. They come in a rainbow of colors and patterns — no two are exactly alike.

Small, ribbed white clam shells — the single most abundant shell on Sanibel beaches. You'll find thousands of these.

A heavy, thick-ribbed ark shell with a distinctive black fuzzy coating (periostracum) when fresh. Often found as chalky white halves.

A small, fan-shaped shell with deep ridges that looks like a tiny kitten's paw. Often white, orange, or purple-tinged.

Thin, translucent shells that shimmer like mother-of-pearl. They make a jingling sound when shaken together — hence the name.

A cream-colored clam with a distinctive crosshatch pattern of raised ridges. One of the most abundant shells on Sanibel.

A classic fan-shaped scallop with colorful patches of red, orange, purple, and white in a calico pattern.

A long, slender, drill-shaped shell with many whorls. Usually tan or grey with subtle spiral markings.

Tiny, round snail shells found clinging to rocks, mangrove roots, and seagrass. Various colors from grey to brown to striped.

A heart-shaped bivalve with strong radiating ribs. Often cream or yellowish with brown spots.

Large, thin, fan-shaped shells that stick up from the sea floor like quills. Usually found as iridescent dark fragments.

Irregularly coiled tubes that look like tangled spaghetti. Starts as a neat spiral then uncoils into a wild, free-form shape.

A rectangular, heavily ribbed bivalve. Named 'ark' because the paired shells resemble the hull of a boat — Noah's Ark.

The classic fan-shaped shell with radiating ribs. Comes in many colors — white, orange, red, purple, yellow.

Tiny, glossy, rice-grain-shaped shells. Polished smooth by the animal's mantle. White to tan with subtle patterns.

A flat, cone-shaped shell (like a tiny volcano) with a hole at the top. Clings tightly to rocks.