Haliotis Iris paua on turned wooden base

Haliotis iris, or "paua" in Māori, is presented here on a turned wooden base. This shell, native to the New Zealand coast, displays a unique natural iridescent sheen, a palette ranging from cobalt blue to emerald green, sometimes with hints of pink or gold. Both sides of the shell, oval and convex, are symmetrically curved.

In marine taxidermy, preserving these shells requires delicate cleaning that respects the internal microstructures involved in light diffraction. This magnificent iridescence is due to the layered structure of calcium carbonate (aragonite).