Large nautilus shell Taxidermy full body mount - Nautilus pompilius - 11 cm - 15 cm - 7 cm - 1

Nautilus pompilius
Nautilus is a genus of cephalopods, a class of mollusks that also includes octopuses, belonging to the family nautilidae. They are considered true 'living fossils,' a term now largely obsolete, used to describe certain species of animals or plants still alive today that exhibit morphological and structural features typical of ancient organisms from millions of years ago. The animal was thought to be extinct following fossil discoveries dating back to the Paleozoic era, and its discovery left many paleontologists and zoologists astonished. In fact, it was first observed alive only in 1829, although its shell had sometimes been found by fishermen in the East Indies, and due to its beauty and rarity, it was already widely used in the 17th century to create jewelry. Nautiluses are typically found in shallow waters of tropical seas, mainly in the Indo-Pacific, and they feed on crustaceans and mollusks. The Nautilus has a large, spiral shell that can reach over 20 centimeters in diameter. The shell's opening is positioned at the top, from which a soft body with large eyes and fleshy tentacles, centered around a beak very similar to that of octopuses, can be observed. Most of these tentacles are attached at the base to a sort of 'sheath' from which the Nautilus can retract them if threatened. The shell has a smooth, white surface with reddish-orange streaks; it is also thin and smooth, with its main characteristic being the spiral shape known as 'logarithmic.' What makes this large structure even more incredible, in some species made of mother-of-pearl, is that it consists of a series of connected chambers linked by a canal. Through this canal passes a nitrogen gas that aids in the animal's buoyancy by allowing pressure adjustments.
A very beautiful lot featuring a nautilus specimen with a pearly terminal and still quite generous dimensions.
Happy bidding.