Nautilus : biology, systematics, and paleobiology as viewed from 2015
- PDF / 3,440,791 Bytes
- 17 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 12 Downloads / 179 Views
Nautilus: biology, systematics, and paleobiology as viewed from 2015 Peter Ward1 • Frederick Dooley1 • Gregory Jeff Barord2
Received: 30 March 2015 / Accepted: 3 February 2016 Ó Akademie der Naturwissenschaften Schweiz (SCNAT) 2016
Abstract The natural history of the nautilid genus Nautilus, composed of a controversial number of extinct and extant species, has been the subject of scientific scrutiny for centuries. While a great research effort lasting from the mid-1970s to 1990s contributed vast amounts of new information concerning the evolutionary history, current diversity, mode of life, and ecological position in its habitats took place, since that time there has been far less concentrated research, and most of that has concerned the diversity and genetic distance of isolated populations using genetic techniques. In spite of the reprinting of one of the two 1987 books examining aspects of Nautilus biology, the only new field-based work on Nautilus until recently has been the important, Ph.D. thesis conducted by Andrew Dunstan on the isolated, seamount inhabiting nautiluses living on Osprey Reef, Australia. In this contribution we attempt to integrate Dunstan’s important new work with other, post-2010 research so as to update our current understanding of the evolutionary history (based on fossil as well as modern genetic work), characteristic habitats, mode of life, and physiology so as to give a 2015 perspective on those aspects of the natural history of Nautilus that are of paleobiological relevance. Keywords Nautilus Conservation Cephalopod Paleobiology Coral reef Genetics
& Gregory Jeff Barord [email protected] 1
Department Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
2
Marine Sciences Department, Central Campus, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA
Introduction The most important scientific questions about the anatomy, physiology, evolution and natural history of the genus Nautilus (Cephalopoda; Figs. 1, 2, 3) have centered more on its value in deciphering the overall evolution of various extinct Cephalopoda than on understanding its position in modern ecosystems (i.e., Shigeno et al. 2008). Only recently has there been much concern with understanding the role of extant nautiluses in their current habitats, and this research has been spurred by indications that local extinctions of local populations of various Nautilus species might be threatened with extinction (del Norte-Campos 2005; Dunstan et al. 2011a; De Angelis 2012; Barord et al. 2014). With regard to anatomy, and then ecology, the questions have been whether the primitive eyes (i.e., Hurley et al. 1978), nervous system (i.e., Young 1965), numerous tentacles among other anatomical aspects (i.e., Kier 2010), and ecology (i.e., Saunders and Ward 1987a, b) are actually windows into the past, or conversely, are more recent adaptations of a once shallow water organism to deeper water habitats of at least 300 m. In such depths, excellent chemosensory reception would be far more advantageous than vision. In addition, if mode of life cha
Data Loading...
