chambered nautilus

Thân thiện

A chambered nautilus drifts through the clear blue ocean.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cephalopod mollusk of the Indian and Pacific Oceans: The "chambered nautilus" is a marine animal belonging to the cephalopod class, known for its distinctive external shell.
   • Characterized by a spiral shell with pearly partitions: Its shell grows in a logarithmic spiral and is divided into a series of connected, chambered compartments. The animal inhabits the outermost chamber.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The chambered nautilus is often called a "living fossil" due to its ancient lineage.
  • We observed the beautiful, patterned shell of a chambered nautilus in the aquarium.
  • The chambered nautilus uses jet propulsion to move through the water.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific and poetic reference: The "chambered nautilus" is frequently cited in literature and science as a symbol of natural perfection, growth, and architectural beauty due to the mathematical precision of its shell.
  • The poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. wrote a famous poem titled "The Chambered Nautilus."

Variants and Related Words

• Nautilus: Often used as a shorter, common name for the "chambered nautilus" ( and related species).
• Pearly nautilus: Another common name emphasizing the iridescent, pearly appearance of the shell's interior partitions.

Synonyms

• Nautilus: The most direct synonym.
• Cephalopod with a shell: A descriptive synonym highlighting its biological class and key feature.

Related Phrases and Terms

• "Living fossil": A common descriptive phrase applied to the chambered nautilus, noting that its form has remained relatively unchanged for millions of years.

Học thuật

Noun

1. cephalopod of the Indian and Pacific oceans having a spiral shell with pale pearly partitions

Từ đồng nghĩa

• pearly nautilus
• nautilus