Nautiloidea

Nautiloids are a group of cephalopods (Mollusca) which originated in the Late Cambrian and are represented today by the living Nautilus and Allonautilus. Fossil nautiloids are diverse and species rich, with over 2,500 recorded species. They flourished during the early Paleozoic era, when they constituted the main predatory animals. Early in their evolution, nautiloids developed an extraordinary diversity of shell shapes, including coiled morphologies and giant straight-shelled forms (orthocones). No orthoconic and only a handful of coiled species, the nautiluses, survive to the present day.

Nautiloidea

J. Baecker · Public Domain · via Wikipedia/Commons. May be a photograph of a specimen, or an artist’s reconstruction — an interpretation of a skeleton, since colour and soft tissue are almost never preserved.

On record

Recorded, not inferred
Sits inside
NautilidaPBDB
Diet
carnivorePBDB, for Nautilida
Life habit
nektobenthicPBDB, for Nautilida
Motility
actively mobilePBDB, for Nautilida
Vision
well-developedPBDB, for Cephalopoda
Environment
marinePBDB, for Cephalopoda

Time the record covers

At least 477 million years on record.

The record covers at least 477.1 Mya to 11.7 ka. No occurrence read is dated outside 488.9 Mya to 0 Mya.

Cambrian — about 0 of 2958 occurrencesOrdovician — about 116 of 2958 occurrencesOrdovicianSilurian — about 118 of 2958 occurrencesDevonian — about 115 of 2958 occurrencesDevonianCarboniferous — about 84 of 2958 occurrencesCarboniferousPermian — about 16 of 2958 occurrencesPermianEarly Triassic — about 6 of 2958 occurrencesMiddle Triassic — about 20 of 2958 occurrencesLate Triassic — about 28 of 2958 occurrencesEarly Jurassic — about 210 of 2958 occurrencesMiddle Jurassic — about 227 of 2958 occurrencesLate Jurassic — about 154 of 2958 occurrencesEarly Cretaceous — about 378 of 2958 occurrencesEarly CretaceousLate Cretaceous — about 506 of 2958 occurrencesPaleocene — about 229 of 2958 occurrencesEocene — about 446 of 2958 occurrencesOligocene — about 72 of 2958 occurrencesMiocene — about 201 of 2958 occurrencesPliocene — about 1 of 2958 occurrencesPleistocene — about 2 of 2958 occurrences499–482 Mya — about 2 occurrences482–465 Mya — about 16 occurrences465–449 Mya — about 73 occurrences449–432 Mya — about 72 occurrences432–416 Mya — about 87 occurrences416–399 Mya — about 40 occurrences399–382 Mya — about 25 occurrences382–366 Mya — about 29 occurrences366–349 Mya — about 8 occurrences349–332 Mya — about 17 occurrences332–316 Mya — about 44 occurrences316–299 Mya — about 20 occurrences299–283 Mya — about 0.3 occurrences283–266 Mya — about 5 occurrences266–249 Mya — about 13 occurrences249–233 Mya — about 35 occurrences233–216 Mya — about 12 occurrences216–199 Mya — about 18 occurrences199–183 Mya — about 99 occurrences183–166 Mya — about 209 occurrences166–150 Mya — about 246 occurrences150–133 Mya — about 44 occurrences133–116 Mya — about 239 occurrences116–100 Mya — about 129 occurrences100–83 Mya — about 175 occurrences83–66 Mya — about 303 occurrences66–50 Mya — about 338 occurrences50–33 Mya — about 359 occurrences33–17 Mya — about 156 occurrences17–0 Mya — about 145 occurrences477.1 Mya11.7 ka499 Mya0 Mya

2,958 occurrences of Nautiloidea on record, most of them in the Late Cretaceous. The Paleobiology Database records this as a living group. Bar height is expected occurrences, not a count: each fossil is spread across the span it is dated to, so a tall narrow bar means tight dating and a low wide one means loose.

When

2,958 occurrences

These are dates about fossils, not the animal: the record can only begin after it arose and end before it died out, so either end may reach further. Shares are expected occurrences: a fossil dated to a span is counted partly in each period it straddles. More on what this infers.

Found in

686 formations

Prairie Bluff — 34.63°N, 88.84°WPrairie Bluff — 33.90°N, 88.98°WPrairie Bluff — 33.79°N, 88.97°WPrairie Bluff — 33.79°N, 88.91°WPrairie Bluff — 33.72°N, 88.92°WPrairie Bluff — 33.50°N, 88.81°WPrairie Bluff — 33.38°N, 88.74°WPrairie Bluff — 33.15°N, 88.67°WPrairie Bluff — 33.05°N, 88.56°WPrairie Bluff — 32.91°N, 88.51°WPrairie Bluff — 34.48°N, 88.98°WPrairie Bluff — 32.73°N, 88.30°WPrairie Bluff — 32.74°N, 88.36°WPrairie Bluff — 32.66°N, 88.17°WPrairie Bluff — 32.61°N, 88.24°WPrairie Bluff — 32.49°N, 88.10°WPrairie Bluff — 32.43°N, 88.04°WPrairie Bluff — 32.39°N, 87.92°WPrairie Bluff — 32.23°N, 87.50°WPrairie Bluff — 32.14°N, 87.42°WPrairie Bluff — 32.07°N, 87.33°WPrairie Bluff — 32.04°N, 87.26°WPrairie Bluff — 32.08°N, 87.03°WPrairie Bluff — 32.05°N, 86.81°WPrairie Bluff — 32.05°N, 86.81°WPrairie Bluff — 31.97°N, 86.72°WPrairie Bluff — 31.98°N, 86.00°WPrairie Bluff — 31.99°N, 85.92°WLondon Clay — 51.40°N, 0.83°ELondon Clay — 50.83°N, 0.78°WLondon Clay — 50.89°N, 1.28°WLondon Clay — 51.73°N, 0.48°ELondon Clay — 50.78°N, 0.65°WLondon Clay — 51.51°N, 0.24°ELondon Clay — 51.53°N, 0.15°WLondon Clay — 51.46°N, 0.30°WLondon Clay — 51.41°N, 0.91°ELondon Clay — 51.53°N, 0.10°WLondon Clay — 51.58°N, 0.15°WLondon Clay — 51.29°N, 1.05°WLondon Clay — 51.28°N, 0.99°WLondon Clay — 51.63°N, 0.16°WLondon Clay — 51.94°N, 1.27°EDhruma — 24.23°N, 46.58°EDhruma — 23.17°N, 46.33°EDhruma — 25.33°N, 45.50°EDhruma — 25.50°N, 45.00°EDhruma — 22.50°N, 46.00°EDhruma — 21.88°N, 45.67°EDhruma — 23.97°N, 46.17°EDhruma — 21.17°N, 45.50°EDhruma — 24.75°N, 46.00°EDhruma — 25.42°N, 45.00°EDhruma — 25.17°N, 45.50°EDhruma — 24.75°N, 46.08°EDhruma — 25.05°N, 45.67°EDhruma — 21.88°N, 45.83°EDhruma — 25.30°N, 45.25°EClayton — 30.71°N, 84.86°WClayton — 31.90°N, 87.07°WClayton — 32.08°N, 87.33°WClayton — 31.89°N, 84.80°WClayton — 32.21°N, 87.48°WClayton — 31.93°N, 86.68°WClayton — 31.95°N, 86.71°WClayton — 31.99°N, 87.07°WClayton — 31.98°N, 87.22°WClayton — 32.11°N, 87.42°WClayton — 31.98°N, 86.97°WClayton — 33.40°N, 88.83°WClayton — 33.17°N, 88.71°WClayton — 33.47°N, 88.91°WClayton — 32.28°N, 86.61°WClayton — 32.29°N, 87.77°WClayton — 34.65°N, 92.43°WJurensismergel — 49.91°N, 11.46°EJurensismergel — 47.95°N, 7.82°EPietra Leccese — 40.03°N, 18.41°EPietra Leccese — 40.10°N, 18.50°EPietra Leccese — 39.93°N, 18.39°EPietra Leccese — 39.83°N, 18.38°EPietra Leccese — 40.15°N, 18.30°EPietra Leccese — 40.37°N, 18.16°EDaban — 10.33°N, 45.22°EMargas del Forcall — 40.96°N, 0.79°WMargas del Forcall — 41.02°N, 0.72°WMargas del Forcall — 40.95°N, 0.78°WMargas del Forcall — 40.92°N, 0.74°WTataouine — 33.00°N, 10.47°ETataouine — 32.79°N, 10.47°ETataouine — 32.74°N, 10.48°ETataouine — 32.63°N, 10.35°ECastle Hayne — 34.64°N, 77.65°WCastle Hayne — 34.37°N, 77.86°WCastle Hayne — 34.23°N, 77.94°WCastle Hayne — 34.27°N, 77.95°WCastle Hayne — 34.66°N, 77.70°WAuradu — 10.38°N, 45.17°EAuradu — 10.47°N, 45.42°EAuradu — 10.43°N, 45.65°EAuradu — 10.03°N, 46.35°EAuradu — 10.15°N, 46.47°EAuradu — 9.88°N, 46.47°EPorters Creek — 31.90°N, 86.88°WPorters Creek — 31.93°N, 87.02°WPorters Creek — 32.12°N, 87.26°WPorters Creek — 31.99°N, 87.29°WPorters Creek — 31.98°N, 87.13°WPorters Creek — 31.97°N, 87.20°WPorters Creek — 32.37°N, 88.04°WCorsicana Marl — 33.51°N, 94.67°WCorsicana Marl — 33.10°N, 95.99°WCorsicana Marl — 32.87°N, 96.20°WCorsicana Marl — 32.85°N, 96.21°WCorsicana Marl — 32.59°N, 96.32°WCorsicana Marl — 32.07°N, 96.46°WCorsicana Marl — 30.37°N, 97.46°WCorsicana Marl — 29.44°N, 98.56°WCorsicana Marl — 29.37°N, 98.78°WColsterdale Marine Beds — 54.07°N, 1.82°WColsterdale Marine Beds — 54.17°N, 1.87°WColsterdale Marine Beds — 54.23°N, 2.42°WTriangle — 42.35°N, 75.89°WTriangle — 42.31°N, 75.60°WTriangle — 42.29°N, 75.27°WTriangle — 42.46°N, 75.47°WTriangle — 42.30°N, 75.51°WTriangle — 42.33°N, 75.77°WTriangle — 42.42°N, 75.86°WTriangle — 42.40°N, 75.77°WTriangle — 42.44°N, 76.03°WDakhla — 25.50°N, 29.17°EDakhla — 25.33°N, 30.58°EDakhla — 25.73°N, 30.69°EDakhla — 25.86°N, 30.71°EDakhla — 26.52°N, 27.66°EDakhla — 25.90°N, 28.60°EDakhla — 25.74°N, 28.96°EKincaid — 29.16°N, 99.60°WKincaid — 33.00°N, 95.94°WKincaid — 32.42°N, 96.19°WKincaid — 29.75°N, 97.87°WKincaid — 28.39°N, 100.26°WKincaid — 28.45°N, 100.25°WKincaid — 30.05°N, 97.61°WKincaid — 28.46°N, 100.19°WKincaid — 31.29°N, 96.72°WOkinoshima — 32.87°N, 129.55°EOkinoshima — 32.78°N, 129.83°EOkinoshima — 32.69°N, 129.78°ELincoln Creek — 46.80°N, 123.10°WLincoln Creek — 46.59°N, 123.61°WLincoln Creek — 46.28°N, 123.80°WLincoln Creek — 46.80°N, 123.15°WLincoln Creek — 46.94°N, 123.31°WLincoln Creek — 46.49°N, 123.80°WLincoln Creek — 47.28°N, 123.52°WLincoln Creek — 46.41°N, 122.93°WChari — 23.50°N, 70.50°EChari — 23.67°N, 69.00°EChari — 23.62°N, 69.15°EChari — 23.38°N, 69.88°EChari — 23.18°N, 69.64°EMerlinleigh Sandstone — 24.32°S, 115.17°EMerlinleigh Sandstone — 23.57°S, 114.99°EProvidence — 31.92°N, 85.82°WProvidence — 31.89°N, 85.70°WProvidence — 31.95°N, 85.68°WProvidence — 31.92°N, 85.35°WProvidence — 31.84°N, 85.22°WProvidence — 31.73°N, 85.11°WSantee Limestone — 33.33°N, 80.15°WSantee Limestone — 33.33°N, 79.69°WSantee Limestone — 33.35°N, 80.25°WScotch Grove — 42.00°N, 91.00°WScotch Grove — 41.90°N, 90.60°WScotch Grove — 42.00°N, 90.50°WScotch Grove — 41.77°N, 91.13°WScotch Grove — 42.48°N, 90.87°WScotch Grove — 41.85°N, 90.18°WScotch Grove — 42.17°N, 91.10°WScotch Grove — 42.10°N, 91.28°W

Loading coastlines…

The named rock units Nautiloidea has been recovered from, largest first. Drawn where the rock is now, not where it formed. 662 further formations hold fewer occurrences each and are not listed. 1,131 occurrences have no formation on record, which is common for older literature.

Nautiloidea and its relatives

Late Cretaceous

Where Nautiloidea and its relatives were recorded in the Late Cretaceous.

Found in the same rock

2,097 taxa

The Paleobiology Database records at least 1,713 sites for Nautiloidea, and this reads 240 of them. Of that, one read hit the database's own return limit, so every count below is a floor rather than a total. The number is how many of those sites it was catalogued from too. The 24 sharing the most are listed.

This is not a list of everything alive at the time. It is only what has come out of the same ground as this animal and been written down.

Entered from

700 references

Each of the 2,958 occurrences read was entered from one of these publications, ordered by how many each accounts for. This is not a search for papers mentioning the name. 688 further references are not listed. Entries link to doi.org where the Paleobiology Database holds an identifier, and to its own record where it does not. Relayed as the Paleobiology Database holds them, not checked against what they resolve to.

Media and terms

Media content3

Picture of Nautiloidea

Credit
J. Baecker
Licence
Public Domain
Commercial use
the licence allows it

Photogrammetry

Licence
not stated by the source
Commercial use
cannot be read from the licence given — check the record
Specimen
nautiloidea indet. · MST:PALEO:MST-SP-1179

3D model

Source
Sketchfab
Licence
CC Attribution
Commercial use
cannot be read from the licence given — check the record

The description on this site

Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0

This is what the site found, which is not the same as what exists.

Keep going

What may have been alongside itNautilida through timeFormations of the Late CretaceousThe world it lived on

Occurrence data from the Paleobiology Database, CC BY 4.0. de Blainville 1825