Lightning whelks (
Busycon contrarium), are gastropods like other whelks and snails. They are called lightning whelks because of the jagged lines on the juvenile's shells. The shells in the picture are small ones. There have been lightning whelks recorded at 15"! Lightning whelks are sinistral or "left handed", compared to most whelks which are dextral or "right handed". The lightning whelk is also the state shell of Texas.
