Nautilus Shell - large

The wonderfully shaped nautilus shell in its natural state has brown tiger like stripes decorating its surface.

Related to the octopus, squid and clams, the spiralled nautilus shell is divided into chambers with the animal occupying the outermost chamber.

A newly hatched nautilus begins life with about four chambers and develops an average of 30 chambers by adulthood. The inner chambers are filled with gas and help the nautilus to maintain neutral buoyancy. By adding liquid to the chambers it is then able to dive.

The nautilus is also considered to be a "living fossil" having undergone little change in over 400 million years.

They dominated the ancient seas before the rise of fishes and appeared about 265 million years before the first dinosaurs. In prehistoric times there were about 10,000 different species of the nautilus, but only five species have survived to the present day.

As a natural specimen, the species is susceptible to naturally occurring growth lines and will have acquired minor marks and imperfections during its lifetime, much like us all, these are very much part of the individual character and charm of this very special shell species.

Size: approx 15 cm W x 7.5 cm D x 11 cm H  (6 x 3 x 4.25 inches)

Sorry this species is not available for international sales.