White-patch Nautilus

''Nautilus stenomphalus'', also known as the white-patch nautilus, is a species of nautilus native to the Great Barrier Reef. ''N. stenomphalus'' is very similar to '' N. pompilius'' and may in fact represent a subspecies. It is separated by the absence of a thickened callus and the presence of white patches in the umbilical and shoulder regions of the shell. The sheaths of this species have scalloped edges compared with the smooth sheaths of ''N. pompilius''. ''N. stenomphalus'' also differs slightly in hood ornamentation. The shell is usually up to around 180 mm in diameter, although the largest specimen ever recorded measured 201 mm.

Distribution

''Nautilus stenomphalus'' are pelagic molluscs belonging to the Nautilidae cephalopod family predominantly found across coral reefs along the Indo-Pacific region.Ward, Peter, Frederick Dooley, and Gregory Jeff Barord. "Nautilus: biology, systematics, and paleobiology as viewed from 2015." Swiss Journal of Palaeontology 135.1 (2016): 169-185. ''N. stenomphalus'' is specifically known to inhabit the Great Barrier Reef, whereas other members

Description

''N. stenomphalus'' are scavengers that utilize two chemosensory rhinophores, rod-shaped structures located below the eye, to locate dead meat and consuming low-nutrients from the ocean floor. They dwell in darker waters in depths up to 300 meters, though moving towards shallower waters to scavenge at night.Basil, Jennifer, et al. "The function of the rhinophore and the tentacles of Nautilus pompilius L.(Cephalopoda, Nautiloidea) in orientation to odor." Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology 38.3 (2005): 209-221. Though possessing primitive eyes,'' N. stenomphalus'' predominantly rely on chemoreception in order to locate food in their habitat. ''N. stenomphalus'' share many morphological similarities with its close relative ''N. pompilius'' such as “zigzag” shell color pattern

Morphology

Sexual dimorphism

''N. stenomphalus'' express sexual dimorphism, with mature males predominantly being larger and are significantly more abundant than females.Dunstan, Andrew J., Peter D. Ward, and N. Justin Marshall. "Nautilus pompilius life history and demographics at the Osprey Reef Seamount, Coral Sea, Australia." PLOS ONE 6.2 (2011)

Sensory organs

''N. stenomphalus'' possess digital tentacles which are able to detect chemosensation, though its preocular and postocular tentacles are more sensitive and also are believed to function for tactile purposes. When perceiving odor stimulation through its rhinophore, its digital tentacles are often spread out laterally in a “cone of search” to identify the source of the stimulus. Nautilus expresses this distinct pattern of behavior when attempting to locate the source of an odor, swaying its tentacles in a cone shape to detect and move towards the substrate. ''N. stenomphalus'' also rely on olfaction through rhinophores, chemosensory structures that are similar to other olfactory organs expressed by other members in the cephalopod family such as Octopus. Rhinophores are situated inside the Nautilus and are exposed to the external environment through pores located below the eyes.

Taxonomy and evolution

Members of the ''Nautilus'' genus are believed to have evolved to their current form between seven and ten million years ago, though some estimates place their divergence from their Mesozoic ancestors as early as 40 million years ago.Vandepas, Lauren E., et al. "A revisited phylogeography of Nautilus pompilius." Ecology and evolution 6.14 (2016): 4924-4935. Though ''Nautilus stenomphalus'' is classified as an individual species compared to its much more abundant relative ''Nautilus pompilius'', closer DNA analysis of the relationship between ''N. stenomphalus'' and ''N. pompilius'' reveals that they cannot be identified as independent lineages due to their shared DNA positions and synapomorphies. Moreover, ''stenomphalus'' and ''pompilius'' hybrid species exhibit less than one percent deviation from the DNA sequences of both parent species. Phylogenetic reconstructions identify both ''N. stenomphalus'' and ''N. pompilius'' as belonging to the Australian/Papua-New Guinean clade, providing insight that both species may have arisen from sympatric speciation.Wray, Charles G., et al. "Genetic divergence and geographic diversification in Nautilus." ''Paleobiology'' 21.2 (1995): 220-228. Few studies have sought to identify the DNA sequence differences between the species, moreover the genetic distinction of ''N. stenomphalus'' and ''N. pompilius'' remains unresolved.

Phylogeny

Due to the striking similarities between ''Nautilus'' and its subspecies from their identical DNA sequence sections and synapomorphies, there is significant evidence to suggest that ''Nautilus pompilius'' exhibits phenotypic plasticity. Namely, ''Nautilus'' subspecies identification through taxonomic features is difficult between populations as many features that were thought to be unique may overlap across different ''Nautilus'' populations. Other subspecies such as ''N. belauensis'', ''N. macromphalus'', and ''N. scrobiculatus'' are regionally bound and known to inhabit areas around Palau, New Caledonia, and Papua-New Guinea respectively. ''N. pompilius'' represents the type species as it is the most common and widely distributed member of the ''Nautilus'' family, and is used as a point of comparison to other ''Nautilus'' members. Phylogenetic analysis conducted utilizing DNA and morphological data between members suggests that ''N. pompilius'' represents a paraphyletic group of ''Nautilus'' members, though not including ''N. scrobiculatus''.

References

* Norman, M. 2000. ''Cephalopods: A World Guide''. Hackenheim, ConchBooks, p. 31.

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3202996

Nautiluses
Molluscs described in 1848