Sea Snail Sea shell - S-633 MELO AMPHORA (No reserve price)

Beautiful Melo amphora shell, commonly known as the volute Diadem, is a very large marine snail, a mollusk in the family Volutidae, the volutes. This large shell has a bulbous or almost oval outline. The columella has three easily recognizable oblique folds. The aperture is wide and almost as long as the shell itself and has no operculum. It has a very large, inflated and posteriorly expanded siphonal canal. One of its most striking features is the limb with prominent, curved hollow spines. These spines become worn away in later stages of growth. The spire is usually very short. It is said that the color of the Melo amphora shell is highly variable. It is usually brown, white, or pale orange. It typically exhibits spiral darker brown bands. The interior is glossy, most often in cream or pink-orange. Dimensions: 60/75/140 mm. Highly recommended for collectors and interior decorators.