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

Charonia tritonia. The common name "Trumpet of Triton" derives from the Greek god Triton, son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. The god Triton is often depicted blowing a large conch horn similar to this species. This genus has been known from fossil remains since the Cretaceous Period, in marine strata 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 dreaded crown-of-thorns starfish. This starfish feeds on coral polyps and, in case of uncontrolled proliferation, can devastate entire coral reefs. For this reason, the triton acts as a true guardian of the marine ecosystem. Tritons hunt them when they detect the scent of prey. Being faster, starfish have few chances to escape and the few that do manage to escape must leave the arm that the snail grasps first. Then, the triton seizes its prey with its muscular foot and uses its denticulate radula (a serrated and rascing organ typical of gastropods) to cut into the armored epidermis of the starfish. Once penetrated, a paralysing saliva subdues the prey and the snail feeds at leisure, often starting from the softer parts such as gonads and intestines. Tritons also ingest entire smaller animals without worrying about paralyzing them, removing venomous spines, shells and all other unwanted parts afterwards. The shell features a mottled pattern of brown, beige and white crescents, ideal for camouflaging among rocks and corals. Aesthetically one of the most beautiful shells of all, an architectural masterpiece, almost a mosaic—its shell. This lot offers a beautiful specimen of tritonia of considerable size. Pedestal not included, made from reclaimed material and used for photographic purposes only. Happy bidding.