an enormous tritone trumpet Taxidermy full body mount - Charonia tritonia - 13 cm - 39 cm - 18 cm - 1

Charonia tritonia. The common name "Triton's trumpet" derives from the Greek god Triton, son of the sea god Poseidon. The god Triton is indeed often depicted blowing a large conch horn similar to this species. This genus is known from fossil remains dating back to the Cretaceous Period, in marine layers around the world. Adult tritons are predators and their diet consists mainly of mollusks and starfish. The giant triton is famous for being one of the very few natural predators of Acanthaster planci, the formidable crown-of-thorns starfish. This starfish feeds on coral polyps and, if uncontrolled, can devastate entire coral reefs. For this reason, the triton acts as a true guardian of the marine ecosystem. Tritons hunt them when they perceive the scent of their prey. Being faster, starfish have little chance to escape, and those that do escape must abandon the limb that the snail grips first. Then the triton grips its prey with its muscular foot and uses its crenulated radula (a serrated scraping organ typical of gastropods) to cut into the armored epidermis of the starfish. Once penetrated, a paralyzing saliva subdues the prey and the snail feeds at will, often starting with the softer parts such as gonads and intestines. Tritons also swallow smaller animals whole without worrying about paralyzing them, later disposing of venomous spines, shells, and all other unwanted parts. The shell features a pattern of brown, beige, and white spots and crescents, ideal for camouflage among rocks and corals. Esthetically one of the most beautiful shells overall, an architectural masterpiece, almost a mosaic, its shell. This lot offers a beautiful specimen of the giant triton of considerable size. Pedestal not included, made from reclaimed material and used for photographic purposes only. Happy bidding.