One Weird Cephalopod

One Weird Cephalopod

We are meeting a strange cephalopod today. It’s not an octopus or a squid or a cuttlefish! This animal actually has a hard outer shell. Any guess on who we are meeting?

NAUTILUS FUN FACTS: 

• There are 6 species of nautilus.
• Unlike their cephalopod relatives who only live 1-2 years; nautilus live up to 15 years.
• Nautilus have chambers in their shells. They are born with 4 chambers and grow more as they get older.
• These chambers also help them with buoyancy. They can allow water in or out to go up and down in the ocean.

• Nautiluses use a siphon tube near their eye to expel water to propel themselves in the water.
• They do not have arms- they have cirri or cirrus (the plural form). They can have up to 90 cirrus.
• These carnivores use those cirrus to grab prey like crab and fish.
• They have poor eyesight, but an excellent sense of smell.

How cool are these cephalopods? They look like aliens if you ask us! What’s your favorite thing about these ocean going aliens.