All these snakehead cowries were found dead. Sand grains wedged in the opening are a sure sign that neither the cowry nor a hermit crab lives inside. Select an option below to continue reading this ...

While snorkeling off a windward beach, I found a marine animal on the ocean floor in about 10 feet of water. The creature lay buried in the sand, belly up, with just its teeth showing. I could barely ...

Shells are the true gems of the ocean and a beachcomber’s most prized find. Although, commonly used today to adorn necklaces, earrings and bracelets, or to decorate the home, shells and their ...

Dead or alive, the chestnut cowry, a snail with a brilliant shell, strongly draws the human eye with its beauty. The polished shine of the cowry shell varies in tone from white below to deep chestnut ...

Have you ever wondered about the true nature of cowrie shells? Where do they come from? Are they simply shells, or is there more to their story? You may have a vague understanding that cowries were ...

Just in time for summer, an old trend from the early 2000s is making a big comeback this season. Jewelry designers all over the world are channeling the natural beauty of the oceans for their summer ...

“Before you do anything else,” curator Chris Meyer said the minute I arrived at the National Museum of Natural History’s Invertebrate Zoology collection, “you have to vote for beauty.” He led me ...