Sea Snail Sea shell - S-482 CASSIS CORNUTA

Beautiful, very large XXL shell Cassis cornuta - horned helmet – a large, predatory gastropod in the Cassidae family, one of the largest snail species. The shell is in perfect condition with a beautiful coloration. Typical species of the genus Cassis. The spire is very low. On the last whorl there are three distinct spiral rows of tubercles with knobs (horns), the largest of which are at the periphery, in the upper part of the shell. Adults in the upper row have 5–7 long or short, rounded or pointed nodules (horns). The two rows lower have 3–4 smaller nodules. A characteristic feature is a clear, dense hammering (net-like sculpturing on the surface of the shell). The exterior surface of the shell is creamy, grayish, or whitish, with brown streaks and spots. A large, oval parietal plate, color yellowish- or brownish-orange, with two spotted, spiral thickenings in the central part of the surface. The height of the parietal plate in adults is greater than the height of the shell. The outer lip is thick, broad, with 5–7 pale teeth on the inner middle edge. On the outer surface of the lip there are usually 7 wide brown spots. During growth, the new outer lip is expanded after the coil has rotated 270 degrees relative to the previous lip. Protoconch with 2 ½ narrow whorls, whitish, smooth with a brown seam on the first whorl. The orange columella, with 8–11 barely distinguishable, whitish lamellae in the lower half. The axial pit is covered. Sometimes in the pit space fragments of coral, rocks, or shell pieces are trapped, which rattle when the shell is shaken. Dimensions - 235/240/335 mm. I highly recommend it to collectors and interior decorators.