Common Seashells Of The Oregon Coast (Identification Guide)

Despite living near the Oregon Coast for years, I’ve never exactly been what you’d call an expert on the ocean—or the creatures that live in it.

Sure, I love walking down the beach. But whenever my parents visit, they seem to assume that just by living near the ocean, I’ve absorbed some kind of honorary marine biologist status.

No, I don’t know what that shell came from. No, I don’t know what kind of jellyfish or crab that is. No, I don’t know whether those berries are poisonous or edible. Or at least… I didn’t.

Recently, I decided it was time to learn what I probably should’ve figured out years ago—starting with the basics: the types of seashells you’ll actually find on Oregon beaches.

The good news is that, while the Oregon Coast is rich in sea life, its shell variety is surprisingly manageable. We don’t have the rainbow-hued variety of the tropics, but what we do have is still fascinating, especially once you know what you’re looking at.

So whether you’re trying to impress your kids or just want to stop guessing, here’s a quick breakdown of the shells you’re most likely to come across on the Oregon Coast.

I’m not yet ready to teach you every single species and Latin name, but I can definitely help you figure out if what you’re holding came from a clam, a snail, or something else.

The 3 Types of Shells You’ll Find on Oregon Beaches

Pretty much every shell you’ll find along the Oregon Coast comes from a member of the phylum Mollusca—which, for simplicity’s sake, includes just about every sea creature that makes a shell.

Of that phylum, the two groups you’ll want to focus on are:

• Gastropods (snails, limpets, and similar critters with a single shell)
• Bivalves (clams, mussels, and oysters, with two hinged shells)

Most beachcombers can learn to quickly tell the difference. So let’s break down each group with a few common examples, along with how to recognize them when you find one in the sand.

1. Limpets

Limpets are small marine snails that cling to rocks in the intertidal zone. They’re members of the gastropod family, and if you’ve walked around tidepools or barnacled rocks, you’ve probably stepped over dozens of them without even realizing it.

Limpets have a single, conical shell—almost like a tiny volcano or the stereotypical “Chinese hat.” Some even have a small hole in the center of the shell. Unlike clams, there’s no hinge or second half—they’re strictly one-piece.

One of the more interesting things about limpets is that a single species can look totally different depending on its environment. For example, the shield limpet has distinct “forms” depending on whether it lives on rocks, mussels, or kelp—but they’re all recognizable as limpets once you know the shape.

Limpet Species of Oregon

2. Bivalves

Bivalves are exactly what they sound like: mollusks with two halves to their shell. They use a strong ligament to hinge these halves together, which allows them to clamp shut for protection or open slightly to filter feed.

Most of the “classic” shells you picture when you think of the beach come from bivalves. That includes things like mussels, clams, scallops, and oysters—all of which show up along the Oregon Coast.

They’re more than just pretty shells, too. Scientists can study bivalve shells for environmental clues—temperature, water quality, and more—just by analyzing growth rings and mineral content.

Mussel vs. Clam vs. Oyster vs Scallop Shells

You’ll find all of these on Oregon beaches, but most are broken or worn down by the time they wash up. Still, you can usually get a good idea of what they are by shape, color, and thickness.

• Mussels have narrow, elongated shells that are dark blue, purple, or black.
• Clams (like butter clams or razor clams) are rounder and thicker, usually off-white or tan.
• Scallops have fan-shaped, ridged shells, often with brighter colors when fresh.
• Oysters are usually more rough and irregular in shape, often with layered textures.

Two of the most famous bivalves on the Oregon Coast are the razor clam and the geoduck. The razor clam’s shell is long and smooth—what you’re seeing when people dig for clams near Seaside. The geoduck is harder to find and known more for its massive size (some weigh as much as a baby), but the shells do show up on beaches from time to time.

No need to know all the species—if you can tell it’s a bivalve, you’re ahead of most beachgoers.

3. Snails

If what you’re holding doesn’t look like a bivalve or a limpet, odds are it came from a snail.

Snail shells can vary wildly in shape and texture, but the good news is that on the Oregon Coast, there are about half a dozen distinct types you’re likely to find—and they’re pretty easy to tell apart once you’ve seen them once.

These include:

• Slippersnails
• Topsnails
• Turbansnails
• Periwinkles
• Bubblesnails
• Wentletraps

Each of these has a slightly different spiral, texture, or coloring. And while it might take a reference photo or two to get used to them, after a few beach trips, you’ll be calling them out like a pro.

Beyond those six, there are others—Hairysnails, Hoofsnails, Dogwinkles, Nassas, and Whelks—but most are close enough in shape that it’s safe to say, “Yup, snail shell.”

And yes, that includes the shells that hermit crabs occasionally wander around in.

The Formation Of Seashells

o why do all shells kind of look the same, especially once they’ve been tumbled around by the surf?

It’s because, at a basic level, they are the same thing: variations on a theme made of calcium carbonate. Much like all trees are made of wood, most seashells are built from this common material.

Mollusks filter calcium carbonate from seawater and secrete it in layers to form their shells, often combining it with proteins to create nacre—the same pearly stuff you see on the inside of many shells.

The color, thickness, and shape of a shell depend on the species and the local conditions. In tropical regions, you’ll see more elaborate shapes and bright colors. Here on the Oregon Coast, shells tend to be duller and more rugged—built to blend into rocky, kelp-strewn beaches and withstand rougher water.

Conclusion

Beyond the basics, the Oregon Coast offers all kinds of odd beach finds.

If it’s not trash or driftwood, it might be:

• Crab or sand flea shells
• Sea urchin tests (the hollow “skeletons”)
• Sea glass
• Bits of coral (rare but possible)
• Starfish arms or fragments

Once you start to pay attention, it’s surprising how much you can identify—even without a degree in marine biology.

Just with what you’ve learned here, you’ll be better equipped than 99% of people out there scanning the sand.

Happy beachcombing!