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Chapter 10
Nautilus
Gregory J. Barord and Jennifer A. Basil
J. Iglesias et al. (eds.), Cephalopod Culture, DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-8648-5_10,
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014
G. J. Barord () · J. A. Basil
Biology Department, Brooklyn College, City University of NY Graduate Center,
2900 Bedford Ave, 11210, Brooklyn, NY, USA
e-mail: gbarord@gc.cuny.edu
J. A. Basil
e-mail: jbasil@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Abstract Nautiluses are remnants of an ancient lineage that dates back nearly
500 million years. Extant nautiluses still exhibit many traits characteristic of the
ancestral species. Nautilus culture systems should therefore take into account both
the similarities between nautiloids and modern coleoids and the differences. Nautilus culture systems should be designed to maintain excellent water quality through
effective filtration to promote good health. Nautiluses and coleoids differ primarily in their reproductive strategies. Whereas most coleoids are fast growing and
semelparous, nautiluses grow slowly, mature later, and are iteroparous. Therefore,
nautiluses may necessitate several years of care before becoming sexually mature.
Successful reproduction and egg laying by a female yield only a maximum of ten
eggs which take up to 1 year to develop and hatch. Currently, nautilus hatchlings
have only been reared up to 1 year. The future of nautilus culture systems depends
upon a better understanding of both wild and captive reproduction. The success of
these culture systems would open up a brand new area of research utilizing different
age groups and generations to investigate current and novel questions.
Keywords Nautilus culture · Nautilus husbandry · Nautilus reproduction · Nautilus
disease · Cephalopod culture
10.1 Background
The nautilid lineage may have existed for more than 500 million years (Ward 1987;
Hanlon and Messenger 1996; Strugnell and Lindgren 2007) though the most recent estimation is 416–480 million years (Kröger et al. 2011). Today, nautiluses are
grouped under two different genera, Nautilus and Allonautilus (Ward and Saunders
1997). Throughout the chapter, “nautiluses” will refer to all species of nautiluses
Chapter 10
Nautilus
Gregory J. Barord and Jennifer A. Basil
J. Iglesias et al. (eds.), Cephalopod Culture, DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-8648-5_10,
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014
G. J. Barord () · J. A. Basil
Biology Department, Brooklyn College, City University of NY Graduate Center,
2900 Bedford Ave, 11210, Brooklyn, NY, USA
e-mail: gbarord@gc.cuny.edu
J. A. Basil
e-mail: jbasil@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Abstract Nautiluses are remnants of an ancient lineage that dates back nearly
500 million years. Extant nautiluses still exhibit many traits characteristic of the
ancestral species. Nautilus culture systems should therefore take into account both
the similarities between nautiloids and modern coleoids and the differences. Nautilus culture systems should be designed to maintain excellent water quality through
effective filtration to promote good health. Nautiluses and coleoids differ primarily in their reproductive strategies. Whereas most coleoids are fast growing and
semelparous, nautiluses grow slowly, mature later, and are iteroparous. Therefore,
nautiluses may necessitate several years of care before becoming sexually mature.
Successful reproduction and egg laying by a female yield only a maximum of ten
eggs which take up to 1 year to develop and hatch. Currently, nautilus hatchlings
have only been reared up to 1 year. The future of nautilus culture systems depends
upon a better understanding of both wild and captive reproduction. The success of
these culture systems would open up a brand new area of research utilizing different
age groups and generations to investigate current and novel questions.
Keywords Nautilus culture · Nautilus husbandry · Nautilus reproduction · Nautilus
disease · Cephalopod culture
10.1 Background
The nautilid lineage may have existed for more than 500 million years (Ward 1987;
Hanlon and Messenger 1996; Strugnell and Lindgren 2007) though the most recent estimation is 416–480 million years (Kröger et al. 2011). Today, nautiluses are
grouped under two different genera, Nautilus and Allonautilus (Ward and Saunders
1997). Throughout the chapter, “nautiluses” will refer to all species of nautiluses