Bellybutton nautilus
Nautilus macromphalus
- Usual depth350–505 m
- Water temperature20–30 °C
- Best monthsNovember
- How commonRare
Photo credit: (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist
About this species
Nautilus macromphalus, the bellybutton nautilus, is a species of nautilus native to the waters off New Caledonia and northeastern Australia. The shell of this species lacks a callus, leaving the umbilicus exposed, in which the inner coils of the shell are visible. This opening constitutes about 15% of the shell diameter at its widest point.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Nautilus macromphalus”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 3 records
- February: 5 records
- March: 0 records
- April: 6 records
- May: 7 records
- June: 5 records
- July: 4 records
- August: 7 records
- September: 8 records
- October: 6 records
- November: 16 records
- December: 4 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 350–505 m · Deepest record: 505 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 20–30 °C
Photos
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) rainerburkard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
- English
- Bellybutton nautilus, New Caledonian nautilus, Navel Nautilus
Names in 5 more languages
- German
- Neukaledonisches Perlboot
- Spanish
- Nautilo ombligo
- French
- Nautile bouton, Nautile ombiliqué
- Japanese
- オオベソオウムガイ
- Thai
- หอยงวงช้างสะดือ
Similar species
Chambered nautilusNautilus pompilius
White-patch nautilusNautilus stenomphalus
Crusty nautilusAllonautilus scrobiculatus
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 63 open-data records from 1905 to 2014.
- Species data updated November 4, 2026.
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