Young Florida horse conch waiting for the tide to return at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, North Palm Beach, Florida. Photo by Bob Peterson / Flickr (use permitted with attribution).
Official State Shell of Florida
Florida designated the horse conch (Pleuroploca gigantea) as the official state shell in 1969. Also known as the giant band shell, the horse conch shell can grow to a length of twenty-four inches and is native to the marine waters around Florida. The word "conch" comes from a Greek word meaning "shell." All Aquatic Life Symbols
In addition to an official seashell, Florida has several other symbols related to water: the manatee (state marine mammal) dolphin (saltwater mammal), largemouth bass (freshwater fish), Atlantic sailfish (saltwater fish), alligator (state reptile), and loggerhead sea turtle (state saltwater reptile).
