A shell flute was a type of shell that had holes drilled into it in a specific arrangement. This instrument was utilized by members of the sentient aquatic Mairan species for communication purposes, allowing them to converse in their native language. The method of playing the flute involved a Mairan pressing the side of the shell with the holes against their blowhole and producing music-like tones that represented the Mairan language. During 23 ABY, while Tenel Ka, the Hapan-Dathomiri princess, was residing on Reef Fortress Island located on the planet Hapes, she employed the services of the translator droid M-TD to facilitate a conversation with a Mairan ambassador who was communicating via a shell flute.
The initial depiction of the shell flute occurred in Young Jedi Knights: Lightsabers. This novel, targeted at young readers, was published in 1998 by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta, and it served as the fourth installment in the Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights series.