Nautilus vitiensis
NameNautilus vitiensis
Scientific NameNautilus vitiensis
Common NameNautilus
FamilyNautilidae
GenusNautilus
Speciesvitiensis
Geographic DistributionEndemic to the waters around Fiji.
Average Size (mm)155
Identifying FeaturesLarge, involute, planispiral shell with distinct reddish-brown striped patterns on a white background. The exterior is smooth, and the interior (not visible in this image) is pearly nacreous. Like all nautiluses, it possesses a siphuncle running through its internal chambers.
Author CitationCarpenter, 1889
Description
A medium-sized, involute, planispirally coiled shell, predominantly white with distinctive reddish-brown to orange-brown stripes on its dorsal and lateral surfaces. The shell is smooth and features a pearly interior, characteristic of the genus.
