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List of U.S. state shells

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of official state shells for those states of the United States that have chosen to select one as part of their state insignia.[1] In 1965, North Carolina was the first state to designate an official state shell, the Scotch bonnet. Since then, 14 other states have designated an official state shell.

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.

Table

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State Shell Image Year designated
Alabama
Johnstone's junonia

Scaphella junonia ssp. johnstoneae
 1990[2]
Connecticut
Eastern oyster

Crassostrea virginica

 1989
Delaware Channeled whelk

Busycotypus canaliculatus		 2014[3]
Florida Horse conch

Triplofusus papillosus		 1969[4]
Georgia Knobbed whelk

Busycon carica		 1987[5]
Massachusetts New England Neptune

Neptunea lyrata ssp. decemcostata		 1987[6]
Mississippi
Eastern oyster

Crassostrea virginica		 1974[7]
New Jersey Knobbed whelk

Busycon carica ssp. gmelin		 1995[8]
New York Bay scallop

Argopecten irradians		 1988[9]
North Carolina Scotch bonnet

Semicassis granulata		 1965[10]
Oregon Oregon hairy triton

Fusitriton oregonensis		 1989[11]
Rhode Island Quahaug

Mercenaria mercenaria		 1987[12]
South Carolina Lettered olive

Oliva sayana		 1984[13]
Texas
Lightning whelk

Sinistrofulgur perversum ssp. pulleyi
 1987[14]
Virginia
Eastern oyster

Crassostrea virginica
 1974[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ List of all state shells http://www.jaxshells.org/listing.htm
  2. ^ "Alabama Shell". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives & History. 2001-07-12. Archived from the original on 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  3. ^ "Chapter - Delaware General Assembly".
  4. ^ "State Shell - Florida Department of State".
  5. ^ "Government & Politics".
  6. ^ "Massachusetts Facts Part One: Concise Facts". Secretary of the State of Massachusetts. Archived from the original on 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  7. ^ "State Symbols". www.ms.gov. Archived from the original on 13 May 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Session Laws of New Jersey". 1995. hdl:10929/50436.
  9. ^ "NYS Kids Room - State Symbols". www.dos.ny.gov. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07.
  10. ^ "Official State Symbols of North Carolina". North Carolina State Library. State of North Carolina. Archived from the original on 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  11. ^ "Chapter 186".
  12. ^ "RIGOV".
  13. ^ "South Carolina State House | South Carolina State Symbols".
  14. ^ "Texas State Symbols - Texas State Library and Archives Commission | TSLAC".
  15. ^ "§ 1-510. Official emblems and designations".
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