.jpg?width=800)
_5_(31207870446).jpg?width=800)
_(offshore_from_Broome,_Western_Australia)_(24052390712).jpg?width=800)
myseashells.org — a world catalog
Treasures carried by tide and time, gathered from every ocean on earth.
www.myseashells.org
ExploreSeashells are the exoskeletons of mollusks — among the most ancient and diverse animals on earth. Each shell is a record of a creature's life, shaped by genetics, diet, and the particular chemistry of the ocean it called home. This catalog brings together the world's most beautiful and remarkable species, organized by family and searchable by region.
Filter by family or scroll the full collection. Each entry includes common name, scientific classification, native region, and typical size.
A mollusk builds its shell from the outside in, secreting calcium carbonate from its mantle — a thin organ that wraps the animal's body. The color, pattern, and form are determined by genetics and the availability of trace minerals in the surrounding water. No two shells are ever exactly alike.
The primary mineral in all shells, deposited layer by layer over the animal's lifetime.
The soft tissue responsible for secretion, patterning, and the luminous nacre found in some species.
Most gastropod shells grow in a logarithmic spiral — one of nature's most elegant mathematical forms.
Pigments are laid down in pulses, creating stripes, spots, and zigzags that camouflage or deter predators.