Observation of Internal Shape of Nautilus Siphuncle

Introduction

Using an X-ray CT system allows non-destructively and three dimensionally observing the internal structure of objects. In particular, the inspeXio SMX-225CT Shimadzu Microfocus X-Ray CT System offers micron- level imaging resolution that allows observing fine and complicated internal structures in detail. This example focuses on the chamber structure of the nautilus, famous as a living fossil. The nautilus is a cephalopod that lives in the southern Pacific Ocean and is related to squid and octopus, but has a characteristic snail-like shell. However, their shell differs significantly from snail shells, in that they are partitioned into small chambers, which are connected via a duct, called a siphuncle, used to adjust buoyancy by changing the internal gas pressure.

November 10, 2010 GMT