Seashell possibly from the Pacific appears on Outer Banks

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Everything from historic ships to World War II mines have washed ashore on the Outer Banks, but the National Park Service says it’s stumped by a bit of beach debris found recently by a visitor.

A mysterious seashell came ashore near the Point at Cape Lookout National Seashore and a preliminary examination suggests it’s a type of sea snail that doesn’t live in the Atlantic.

It’s 3.5 inches long, yellowish and entirely intact.

“I think it’s a Cone Snail shell, but cannot find anything resembling it in the shell ID books for this area,” park officials wrote on Facebook.

“Most cone snails apparently live in the Indo-Pacific region, and not along the North Carolina coast. Any ideas?”

The Indo-Pacific is a term for the seas near Indonesia where the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean merge, according to The Diplomat.

A beachcomber walking the Point this month started digging after seeing the tip of the shell, the park said on Facebook.

Nearly two dozen people have responded to the post with ideas, some saying they have found similar shells on the Outer Banks. A few suggested it may be a type of cone shell better known in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

Cape Lookout has yet to settle the debate.

The national park and the adjacent Cape Hatteras National Seashore are among the best places on the East Coast to look for seashells.

Cape Lookout officials posted on Facebook last month that storm surf had dug into marsh mud, revealing rare lightning whelk shells that predated the current incarnation of the barrier islands.

In September, a 2-pound prehistoric clam shell was found, officials said. It is believed storm surf from Hurricane Dorian dragged it to shore, the park service said.