After more than 1,000 ROV dives in the waters of the German Channel in Palau, the Ocean Exploration Trust finally has sightings of Nautiloids.
The notoriously shy mollusk is the oldest cephalopod in existence, and is very difficult to film or photograph, which is what make these sightings by the the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET), on an expedition funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute even more special.
According to OET Expedition Leader and Operations Coordinator Samantha Wishnak:
“In addition to the obvious milestone of seeing a nautilus while onboard the eponymous Nautilus, it was also surreal to encounter an animal whose body plan and behaviors have barely changed since the age of the dinosaurs.”
While science team member and Coral Reef Research Foundation Director Patrick Colin added:
“Palau has been a focus for scientific research on the nautilus species for decades, revealing many aspects of their life history. But to actually see them in their natural habitat is difficult, and the technological marvels of the E/V Nautilus have allowed the eponymous vessel to finally meet this iconic marine organism ‘face to face.’”
You can check out a video of the Nautiloids below.
