Nautiloïds

Nautiloïds

The nautilus, Cephalopods mollusks belonging to the sole surviving genus (Nautilus) of a subclass that flourished 200 million years ago, known as the Nautiloïds. They developed in the Cambrian period and became a significant sea predator in the Ordovician period. But in the 65 million years since the dinosaurs died out, the family to which the chambered nautilus belongs has gradually diminished. The spirally coiled shell consists of a series of chambers; as the nautilus grows it secretes larger chambers, sealing off the old ones with thin septa. The animal lives in the largest and newest chamber, with a tubular elongation of the body, known as the siphuncle, extending through the septa to the apex of the shell. The siphuncle removes liquid from the chambers and replaces it with gas, giving the animal the buoyancy that permits it to swim. The nautilus breathes by means of two pairs of gills; it feeds on crabs and other animals at night, which it catches with its long, slender 90 tentacles that encircle the mouth. During the day it stays hidden in coral crevices. There is a thickened area over the head, called the hood that acts as a protective lid when the animal withdraws into the shell. Today only a few species still exist and they lives in deep water in the South Pacific and Indian oceans.

For any question about payment, shipping rates, or fossil, please go in the corresponding page of the site, or contact us without forgetting the article reference.