> Curio shop Nautilus shells are frequently drilled by octopus, but I don't
> recall seeing any with two octopus holes. To my knowledge, Marion Nixon
> discovered shell-drilling by octopus (Journal of Zoology, 187:291-296,
> 1979).

Holes made by octopuses are conical in section and are irregular in
plan view. They may show radular scratchmarks around the edges. I have
Oliva, Prunum ande Nautilus with clear octopus holes.

Shells are brittle objects. Despite all the rubbish published about
fossil ammonoids showing tooth-punctures caused by mosasaur bites, an
shell will never show such damage... they can't. If something bites
them the shell will BREAK. Pieces may be broken out, but they will be
angular, never circular, and much more likely is that much of the
shell will shatter. The thicker the shell, the larger the pieces` will
be relative to the size of the shell.

--
Regards
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van fanatic

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