Price shown per single shell

Shell Size: 10-12cm

Description & Application:
These selected pearlised shells make for stunning table decor and the basis for unique hand-held floral bouquets. These stunning shells are made by removing the outer natural colour coating to reveal the iridescent mother of pearl layer below


Product Presented Ready for Event Decor or Ready to Retail
Immediate Product Wrapping: Paper Shred in Clear Polypropylene Pack
Pack Contents: 1 Shell
Shell Size: 10-12cm across
Pack Size: 140x75x240mm

Wholesale Packaging Configuration
Packs Per Outer: 2
Outer Type: Cardboard
Outer Size: 140mmx240mmx230mm
Outer Weight: 0.75kg

Labeling: Description and bar code to individual packs and outer.

Background:
Having survived relatively unchanged for millions of years, nautilus are often considered to be "living fossils”, indeed ammonites are a related extinct species.

When seen from the top, the natural shell is darker in colour and marked with irregular stripes, which makes it blend into the darkness of the water below. Conversely, the underside is almost completely white, making it indistinguishable from brighter waters near the ocean’s surface. Whilst the shells frequent waters around 300m below the surface, the shell is capable of withstanding pressures down to 500m.

The shell is internally divided into chambers. As the nautilus matures its body moves forward, sealing the chamber behind it. The last fully open chamber being used as the living chamber. The number of chambers increases from around four at the moment of hatching to often more than thirty in adults.

Ecological Note:
Concern has been expressed over suspected dwindling numbers of Nautilus.

As the cephalopods generally live at depths of between 100m and 500m it is difficult for scientists to absolutely quantify numbers in the wild. However, anecdotal evidence form fishermen and comparison of number counts and size of specimens from fished areas and protected marine environments suggest that in some localities of the world overfishing is becoming a problem.

Whilst the lifecycle of Nautilus is not fully understood, it is known that the creature can take up to ten years to reach sexual maturity and even then the species does not produce a free swimming larval stage, making it difficult for it to re-colonise areas should numbers become depleted.

Marine Arts will continue to monitor the situation, and at all times work within agreed International Conventions and the Law of exporting countries.

Classification: Nautilus pompilus Linne