Cassis Rufa seashell on black base
AN299
The full name of this shell nicknamed "the red helmet" is Cypraecassis rufa. It is found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, as far as Madagascar. The animal that lives in this shell has a bright red body. This gastropod stays buried in the sand during the day, and it goes out at night to feed on sea urchins! Its shell has been used a lot to sculpt cameos. Indeed, the upper layer is a mixture of light tones and brown, but the lower layers are more orange to red. So perfect to highlight a pattern.
