<P> 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 . </P> <P> 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 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> State </Th> <Th> Shell </Th> <Th> Image </Th> <Th> Year designated </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Alabama </Th> <Td> Johnstone's junonia Scaphella junonia subspecies johnstoneae </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Connecticut </Th> <Td> Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1989 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Florida </Th> <Td> Horse conch Pleuroploca gigantea </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1969 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Georgia </Th> <Td> Knobbed whelk Busycon carica </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Massachusetts </Th> <Td> Wrinkled whelk, New England Neptune Neptunea lyrata decemcostata </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Mississippi </Th> <Td> Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> New Jersey </Th> <Td> Knobbed whelk Busycon carica </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1995 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> New York </Th> <Td> Bay scallop Argopecten irradians </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> North Carolina </Th> <Td> Scotch bonnet Semicassis granulata </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1965 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Oregon </Th> <Td> Oregon hairy triton Fusitriton oregonensis </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1989 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Rhode Island </Th> <Td> Northern quahog Mercenaria mercenaria </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> South Carolina </Th> <Td> Lettered olive Oliva sayana </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1984 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Texas </Th> <Td> Prickly whelk Busycon perversum subspecies pulleyi </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1989 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Virginia </Th> <Td> Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> State </Th> <Th> Shell </Th> <Th> Image </Th> <Th> Year designated </Th> </Tr>

Eastern oyster is official seashell of which state