Imperial Thorny Oyster

With delicate spines and colours ranging from white to hints of pink, the gorgeous Imperial Thorny Oyster (Spondylus Imperialis) is one of nature’s more unusual decorative seashells.

Although called oysters they are in fact more closely related to scallops as they share the same habit of cementing themselves to rocks and corals.

The shells come as two halves and are joined with a ball-and-socket type of hinge which opens just enough to hold small jewellery pieces or trinkets making them popular as Ring Bearers for Weddings.

The species is common among the shallow waters of the Indo Pacific Ocean.

All shells will naturally have acquired minor imperfections during their lifetime and it’s quite common for the occasional spine to be broken or missing, but this should be considered perfectly normal and very much part of the individual charm and character of owing a special shell of this type.

Overall Size: approx  8 x 10 cm  (including spines)   (3 x 4 inches)

Shell Size:  approx  4 x 4 cm  (1.5 x 1.5 inches)