A tiny treasure unearthed at TMAG!

April 2025 

An discovery that was made during the 2025 Lift Off! Children and Young People’s Festival.  

Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Senior Curator of Invertebrate Zoology, Dr. Simon Grove brought in a tray of shell grit from a 1972 sample of washings from the ‘roots’ of giant kelp as part of a “Meet the Curator” activity.

While examining the shell grit sample, 8-year-old Zora uncovered a minuscule, top-shaped seashell. Identified as 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘮, this shell is highly unusual due to the sinistral (left-handed) coiling.   
 
It is also a very rare species - Dr. Grove noted that there are probably fewer than 20 known to science all together! 
 
Congratulations Zora, on your incredible find!  

Zora’s keen eye has not only brought this rare specimen to light but will also see her name recorded alongside the shell in the TMAG collection.