The Chambered Nautilus
400 million years ago the ancestors of the
chambered nautilus were the dominant life form in the oceans and a top
predator. The nautilus is still a major predator, mainly of crustaceans,
in deep sea realms and has a full external shell with many buoyancy
chambers and uses the typical cephalopod jet propulsion technique. The
ocean floor at Osprey reef in the Coral Sea is over 1000 metres deep with nautilus
populations inhabiting the depths. The Nautilus migrate to shallower 200 metre depths during the night to feed. A research program has been underway for the past five years sending down
night traps to capture, study and release these
amazing animals.
Research Report - N Pompilius
