Spired, up to 6cm long, in cream, yellow or grey. It's a sea snail, smaller than the common whelk, smoother than the netted whelk and more rounded than the oyster drill.

Each species in our ID guide has specific patterns and markings, and varies in shape and size, offering clues about the animals' evolution and their day-to-day lives. Learn more with our expert guide on how to identify the most common seashells found along the British coastline and best places to find them. We've also guides on jellyfish, seabirds and beachcombing. British seashell guide: how to identify and where to find Auger shell, Terebridae A smooth, golden-brown whorled seashell up to 3cm high, once belonging to a sea snail. Common on sandy shores. Painted topshell, Calliostoma zizyphinum

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This tall, spindly cone can grow up to 3cm long. It belongs to a carnivorous snail that preys on marine worms, and like the Cone Snail, uses its venomous barb to immobilise and stun its prey. Also known as native oysters, these incredible bivalves live on the seabed in shallow coastal estuaries. The shells are oval or pear-shaped, up to 11cm across. The two halves of shell are very different – one smooth and flat, the other rough and concave. Widely distributed but less common on the east coast. Widely distributed in estuaries and sandy bays throughout the UK – as many as up to 10,000 per m². They burrow to around 5cm beneath the surface. Common limpet, Patella vulgata Large shell up to 7.5cm long, with colours ranging from white to dark-brown. This bivalve creature burrows to impressive depths in mixed sand, mud and stony shores.

This small whorled shell is 1.7cm across and once belonged to a sea snail. Grey or light-yellow with brown or purple streaks. A herbivore that grazes on seaweed, it is common on all coasts. Common mussel, Mytolis edulis Britain’s seashores are littered with the shells of bivalves and gastropods. Take a closer look next time you're walking along the seashore and you may be surprised about what you find – a pointy top shell, a colourful periwinkle or a spired whelk.

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