New Zealand Seashore

11006-65501 Rams horn squid shell (Spirula spirula) these empty 'shells' are really 'chambers'. They are sometimes washed ashore in great numbers on West Coast beaches. The live animal, a type of small nautilus squid is seldom seen. The shell is an internal skeleton of bouyancy chambers, enabling the tiny nautilus to travel up and down far below the ocean's surface, ranging from 100 fathoms to depths of more than 1000 fathoms. Mount Maunganui *

65501snailrams hornsquid shellchambernautilussquidSpirulashell