Origin: Indo-W Pacific; Gallpagos. Charonia tritonis tritonis
(Linnaeus, C., 1758)Triton's Trumpet; Pacific Triton. These trumpet tritons are found on coral reefs in shallow water. Tritons are warm-water predators. Species of the genus Triton are among the largest of the family. Those of the genus Charonia, of the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific region, are called triton trumpets; Charonia tritonis is actually used as a trumpet in Shintō temples in Japan,and by other diverse groups as well.
Sankha shell is one of few holy items in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism and is used to call for assembly. The instrument was used to call monks and devotees to worship and also was used to invoke water and rain. It's a sign of good luck and auspicious symbol, and stands for the absence of all evil as an attribute, symbolizing the glory of all holy beings. This beautiful triton weighs 2.17 pounds, and measures 12 inches long, 5.25 inches wide, and 4.75 inches high. |
