Naticarius Fossil Sea Shell Prehistoric Gastropods Pliocene Terziary Collection (2)

Description

Origin : France

Geological era : Pliocene

Age : 2-5 million of years

Size : cm 3.5

Fossil Seashell cm 3.5 Gastropod Moon Snails Naticarius sp. Gastropods Prehistoric Molluscs Pliocene Cenozoic Tertiary Collecting Paleontology Museum.

Pleasant fossil find of a Gastropoda Naticidae Shell from the late Pliocene, a representative collectible sample of fair quality, with clear details of shape of the shell and coils, well preserved.
Only a piece, as in photo.
Also available smaller, in lots or in plexiglas box, at this link.

The fossil is supplied naturally, as taken from the field. If necessary, it can be easily cleaned of sediment that covers it, and if you wish, consolidated with resin paraloid.

The Naticidae (or Moon Snails) are a family of medium to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs of the Littorinimorpha clade.
The shells of the species of this family are mostly globose in shape. The Naticidae are the only family of the superfamily Naticoidea. It has been estimated that there are approximately 260-270 recent species of naticid snails in the world. This group is assumed to have originated in the Late Triassic or Early Jurassic. Members of this family can be recognized by the shape of their shell, distinct appearance, or their predatory behavior. They live on sandy substrates, at very different depths depending on the species (from the intertidal zone to thousands of meters deep). They are often seen plowing the sand, searching for bivalves and other prey, creating countersunk holes. They feed mainly on bivalves, but they also attack almost all other molluscs they encounter in the sand, such as scaphopods or other gastropods, including their own kind and even some crabs: they wrap their prey in their mantle and then, using the radula and an acid secretion, they pierce the shell. Once the shell is opened, the proboscis is used to consume the flesh of the prey. The shell hole, which has a "flared" appearance with blunt edges, and varies in size depending on the species, is a characteristic diagnostic sign of moon snail predation.