My Florida Vacation

The Florida State Shell Horse Conch

Pleuroploca gigantea, the horse conch, also known as the giant band shell, has been Florida's official State Shell since 1969. This shell is native to the marine waters around Florida and can grow to a length of 24". Young shells have orange color; adult shells have orange apertures. The shell is the external skeleton of a soft-bodied animal that inhabits it.

At least 535 million years ago, mollusks acquired the habit of secreting a carbonate of lime solution that immediately forms a protective shell with the consistency of marble. The word "conch" comes from the Greek word meaning "shell."