| Nautilus vanuatuensis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Nautilus vanuatensis in the wild | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| 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]
Description[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
The specific epithet, vanuatuensis, refers to Vanuatu, the type locality.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ Publishers, Pensoft. "Three new nautilus species described from the Coral Sea and South Pacific". phys.org. Retrieved 2023-02-07.