Nautilus macromphalus

Bellybutton nautilus
Conservation status
	CITES Appendix II (CITES)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Subclass:	Nautiloidea
Order:	Nautilida
Family:	Nautilidae
Genus:	Nautilus
Species:	N. macromphalus
Binomial name
	Nautilus macromphalus; Sowerby, 1848

Nautilus macromphalus, the bellybutton nautilus, is a species of nautilus native to the waters off New Caledonia and northeastern Australia. The shell of this species lacks a callus, leaving the umbilicus exposed, in which the inner coils of the shell are visible. This opening constitutes about 15% of the shell diameter at its widest point.

Like all Nautilus species, N. macromphalus usually lives at depths of several hundred metres. During the night, however, they rise to much shallower waters (2 to 20 m depth) to feed.

The tentacles of this species are long and thin, having raised ridges which help provide grip when catching prey. N. macromphalus is the smallest species of nautilus. The shell is usually up to around 16 cm in diameter, although the largest specimen ever recorded measured 180 mm.^[2]

More than 35 shells of N. macromphalus dating to around 6400–7100 years BP were found in a cenote on Lifou, the Loyalty Islands. Based on these radiocarbon dates it is thought the cenote was connected to marine waters for some 700 years before becoming cut off completely. During this time nautiluses were able to enter it through a flooded karst system. Many of these animals apparently became trapped and died there.^[3]

N. macromphalus seen during a night dive in Sandal Wood Bay, Lifou, New Caledonia at a depth of 15 m
Pair of N. macromphalus in Sandal Wood Bay
Nautilus macromphalus shell
Anatomy of N. macromphalus from Arthur Willey's monograph, 1912
Map of Gazelle Peninsula, where Arthur Willey attempted to catch N. macromphalus

References

^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
^ Pisor, D. L. (2005). Registry of World Record Size Shells (4th ed.). Snail's Pace Productions and ConchBooks. p. 93.
^ The Nautilus death cenote. 2013 GSA Annual Meeting in Denver: 125th Anniversary of GSA (27-30 October 2013).

Norman, M. 2000. Cephalopods: A World Guide. Hackenheim, ConchBooks, p. 30.

External links

"CephBase: Nautilus macromphalus". Archived from the original on 2005-08-17.

[1] "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.

[2] Pisor, D. L. (2005). Registry of World Record Size Shells (4th ed.). Snail's Pace Productions and ConchBooks. p. 93.

[3] The Nautilus death cenote. 2013 GSA Annual Meeting in Denver: 125th Anniversary of GSA (27-30 October 2013).

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