Horse Conch 11-12 in whelk Nautilus are considered living fossils

Nautilus are considered living fossils because they have been traced back 500 million years

Dead nautilus shells float as far away as East Africa and Japan

The maximum recorded shell length is 145 mm

Please note

Most are found in tropical waters

Horse Conch 11-12 in whelk Nautilus are considered living fossilsThe horse conch is the Florida state shell. It is one of the largest shells to be found around the coastline and is the largest snail in North America. The horse conch is one of the spindle shells family Fasciolariidae. They are thick and elongated. It looks like someone stretched the shell from both ends. It can grow to be nearly 2 feet in length! The Shell you receive may not look exactly like the image. No two are alike.