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Family Nautilidae - chambered nautiluses
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Order |
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Class |
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Cephalopoda |
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No. of Genera in Ref. |
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2 |
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No. of Species in Ref. |
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11 |
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Environment |
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Fresh : No |
Brackish : No |
Marine : Yes |
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Remark |
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Climate: Tropical.
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific.
Short description: Coiled, pearly, external shell marked with 2 chambers; 2 pairs of gills; up to 47 pairs of arm-like appendages around the mouth; absence of suckers and hooks; simple eyes; infundibulum consists of 2 lobes forming a tube-like structure; absence of chromatophores and ink sac. Shell coloration varies among species; irregular red to yellow-brown stripes radiating from the umbilicus. Males grow larger than females.
Biology/Ecology: Reef-associated. Benthic bottom dweller found from surface to 500 m, commonly at 150 to 300 m. Feeds mainly on decapods. Shell diameter up to 22.9 cm with average weight up to 1.675 kg. |
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