Pearl Nautilus in cross-section Taxidermy full body mount...

autilus is a genus of cephalopods, a class of mollusks that also includes the octopuses, belonging to the family Nautilidae. They are considered true "living fossils", a term now obsolete used to describe particular species of animals or plants that are still alive today but exhibit morphological and structural features typical of ancient organisms dating back millions of years. The animal was believed extinct following fossil finds dating to the Paleozoic, and its discovery left many paleontologists and zoologists astonished. In fact, it was first observed alive only in 1829, although its shell was sometimes found by fishermen in the East Indies and, due to its beauty and rarity, was already widely used in the 17th century to make jewelry. Nautiluses are typically found in shallow waters of tropical seas, mainly in the Indo-Pacific, and feed on crustaceans and mollusks. The Nautilus has a large spiral shell that can reach more than 20 centimeters in diameter. The shell opening is positioned on top, from which one can observe a soft body with large eyes and fleshy tentacles with a horned beak at the center, very similar to that of octopuses. Most of these tentacles are attached at the base to a kind of “sheath” from which the Nautilus can retract them in case of danger. The shell has a smooth, pearly surface; moreover, it is thin and smooth, and its main feature is the spiral conformation known as the “logarithmic” spiral. To make this large structure even more incredible, in some species it is made of mother-of-pearl, and it consists of a series of connected chambers with a canal that links them. Through it passes a nitrogen gas that facilitates the animal’s buoyancy through appropriate pressure adjustments. Very nice lot: Nautilus pompilius, sectioned, lustrous, with the chambers perfectly visible showing the splendid architecture of this beautiful specimen. The measurements refer to the non-sectioned Nautilus. Base not included. A necessary clarification. The final image in our photographic gallery is obtained with the help of AI software. The purpose is purely aesthetic but also exemplary: it shows the real object inside an artificially generated scenography. The aim is to show how precious the items in the auction are and how well they fit in different, all highly refined, environments. Thank you for your attention. Happy bidding.

Estimate:$168.55

View all items fromCatawikiorEthnographic