What did you find? Florida shell & beach find identification

Search by name or field mark, browse the common types below, or photograph your find and let BeachNut identify it. Every entry has photos, size, rarity and the rules on taking it home.

219 entries across 11 categories

Cape San Blas · Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0

Common types of seashells on Florida beaches

These are the shells people pick up most often on Florida sand. Tap any one for photos, size, where it turns up and whether you can keep it.

How to tell them apart

A handful of Florida shells get confused constantly. Here is the quick tell for each pair.

Lightning WhelkvsFlorida Fighting Conch
A lightning whelk opens on the left when you hold it point-up; a fighting conch opens on the right and has a much shorter, chunkier body with a flared lip.
True TulipvsBanded Tulip
Both are spindle-shaped. A true tulip has fine spiral lines all over and mottled colour; a banded tulip is smoother with clean, widely spaced dark bands.
Angel WingvsFalse Angel Wing
A true angel wing is large, chalk-white and very fragile with deep ribs. A false angel wing is smaller, thicker and usually survives the surf intact.
Atlantic Calico ScallopvsBay Scallop
Calico scallops are boldly blotched and both valves are curved. Bay scallops are more uniform in colour with one flatter valve.