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The New Jersey state shell is the knobbed whelk, Busycon carica, and was designated as such on April 13, 1995.
Commonly known as the conch (pronounced konk), the knobbed whelk is large, solid and pear-shaped, coiling from left to right, as seen from its top. It is yellowish gray in color, with brownish purple vertical streaks in juveniles.
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The shell is found on NJ beaches and is commercially fished offshore for its meat, which when prepared is known as scungilli.
The egg casings of this snail are long, coiled strings of brownish disks, and are commonly found on our beaches.
The young snails are exact miniatures of the adults and are sometimes still visible within the coin-like cases.
New Jersey waters are home to two other whelk species; the channeled whelk, Busycotypus canaliculata, and the less common left-handed species, Busycon laeostoma.
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