Nautilus vanuatuensis

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Nautilus vanuatuensis
Nautilus vanuatuensis.jpg
Nautilus vanuatensis in the wild
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Nautiloidea
Order: Nautilida
Family: Nautilidae
Genus: Nautilus
Species:
N. vanuatuensis
Binomial name
Nautilus vanuatuensis
Barord et al., 2023

Nautilus vanuatuensis is a species of nautilus native to the waters of Vanuatu. It was described as a separate species in 2023. [1] [2]

Contents

Description

It is distinguished from other nautilus species by its abundantly colored red shell. It has 40–50% shell coloration (more than any other Nautilus species with a plugged umbilicus) and its pigmentation occurs in stripes extending from venter to umbilicus. [1]

Habitat

Nautilus vanuatuensis primarily lives in deep waters (200–400 m) although it is commonly observed in shallow waters (5 m). It seems endemic to Vanuatu, where it is apparently the only species. [1]

Etymology

The specific epithet, vanuatuensis, refers to Vanuatu, the type locality.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Barord, Gregory J.; Combosch, David J.; Giribet, Gonzalo; Landman, Neil; Lemer, Sarah; Veloso, Job; Ward, Peter D. (2023-01-25). "Three new species of Nautilus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mollusca, Cephalopoda) from the Coral Sea and South Pacific". ZooKeys. 1143: 51–69. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1143.84427 . ISSN   1313-2970.
  2. Publishers, Pensoft. "Three new nautilus species described from the Coral Sea and South Pacific". phys.org. Retrieved 2023-02-07.