Auger or Terebridae are marine gastropods which form part of a spectacular group of coloured shell molluscs.  Gastropods are one of the largest groups of invertebrate animals and are extraordinarily diverse in form (size, body and shell morphology) and occupy a wide ecological niche.  There are currently around 62,000 described species, but the total species range is somewhere in the order of 150,000.  They have a long and rich fossil record stretching back to the Earl Cambrian with intermittent extinctions and the appearance of new groups.

Auger or turret snails are distinguished by their highly elongated structure - like a screw or auger - and tend to have flattened whorls which appear like a twist and ending with an asymmetrical aperture. The sea snails are sand-dwelling carnivores which typically sting their prey such as marine worms.

  

In our sea life story, we have carved their twisting irregularities into small pieces of metallic-like pyrite and jet black obsidian.  The delicate, elegant mood of this story is set in contrast to the zealous behavioural style of this type of gastropod!  Some of our designs are flush set with rows of discreet, sparkling diamonds and others are flush set with natural polki diamond slices.

 

    

    

    

     

        

    

Above, @ The Traace 2016-17, an ever expanding story.