Shell identification
Who can resist a strandline full of shells? Well, I certainly can't, that's for sure. They are the most fantastic things to find, especially when they are whole and unbroken - exotic shapes, striking colours, and an amazing history.
It's here at last!
The BeachStuff Gallery of UK shells!
Click to browse
ID your shell by matching it to a photo
in the Gallery! FREE!!
To ID your shell, first pick which type it is
- based on the shape of the shell.
TYPE 1
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Shells based on a spiral shape. They can be round, long, pointed or snub but still have that distinctive whorl. | |
TYPE 2
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Shells made of two halves are known as bi-valves. They tend to be flatter and with fewer features than those with a whorl. We often, of course, only find one half.
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TYPE 3
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And this category is every other shape of shell. They are not two halves and they do not have a spiral but anything else goes. |
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When the snails die, their shells can be washed up onto the beach giving us a great look at their beautiful shapes and colours. if shells are not picked up by avid beach combers, these shells are broken down over time becoming part of the sand.