Natural History Notes: The Scotch bonnet is the state shell of North Carolina! Characteristics: Shells usually range from 40 - 55 mm, and are thick and solid. Background coloration is creamy white, sometimes purplish, with an often faded checkerboard pattern of rectangular orange-brown markings. The operculum is yellow-brown and conforms to the shape of the aperture. The protoconch is rounded and cream-colored with an orange-brown tip. The spire is moderately elevated and the body whorl is well rounded. There is a white, oval parietal shield of varying thickness. Neat, reticulate sculpture on the early whorls becomes more variable on the body whorl. The inner lip of the aperture is irregularly creased. The usually thickened outer lip has a series of short, strong lirae.