How to Identify a Cone Seashell

The cone seashell is one the most familiar and beloved symbols of marine life and ocean romance. In works as disparate as "Moby Dick" and "The Little Mermaid," the cone seashell makes its appearance as one of the simple wonders of nature's beauty and geometry. Follow these steps to identify a cone seashell.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look for a general teardrop shape. Nearly all varieties of the Conus seashell take a teardrop shape, beginning with a bulbous top and gracefully narrowing to a dulled point.

    • 2

      Use the pointy tip to identify a shell. Coned seashells usually come to a tip at the larger, top part of the shell. Sometimes the cone seashell takes a layered, wedding-cake form that ends in a pointy tip on the top layer.

    • 3

      Look for the lip. You can identify a cone seashell by its protruding outer lip. It's as if the shell started out as a single flat sheet that was rolled diagonally into a cone, except for the last 5 percent of the sheet. The remaining lip is the entrance and exit to the shell.

    • 4

      Feel the groove. Many varieties of the cone seashell have a tangible groove made up of parallel lines that spiral down the midsection of the cone. Use your fingertips to identify these groups, as sometimes the coloration is too faint to see.

    • 5

      Consider the size. While there is considerable variation among cone seashells, the majority measure between 1 to 3 inches long. Use the size to properly identify a cone seashell.