Also called the Pearly Nautilus, Chambered Nautilus (Nautilus pompilius) dead shells wash ashore on open beaches in the Northern Territory of Australia after cyclones. The shell is secreted by a cephalopod and it is an ancient relative of octopuses and squid. When it washes ashore, the shell is covered by a whitish outer layer with a reddish brown pattern but once that layer is removed (by careful application of acid in this instance) the underlying pearly layer can be revealed. Internally, the nautilus shell represents a mathematical spiral.
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