Speed, Jet Pressure and Oxygen Consumption Relationships in Free-Swimming Nautilus

Neutrally buoyant, ultrasonically telemetering, differential pressure transducers were attached to Nautilus pompilius L. to record mantle cavity pressures while the animals were induced to swim in a flume in response to food.

Synchronized videotapes and computer data files showed that jet pressures (p, Pa) increased linearly with swimming speed (μ, ms⁻¹), p=1565u-8.

Because of their stereotyped responses to food, Nautilus could be induced to produce similar pressures in 51 respirometers, where oxygen consumption (V_O2 ml kg⁻¹) increased as a power function of pressure, V_O2=3.85p^0.584

Combining these equations gave an oxygen consumption-speed relationship, V_O2=283u0.584. We used this equation to show that the cost of transport for Nautilus is dramatically lower than that for squid and, at speeds below 0.05 ms⁻¹, even lower than that of an undulatory swimmer, the salmon.

Calculated power inputs and outputs suggest that squid have increased their power density (W kg⁻¹) 100-fold over their ectocochleate ancestors, and that Nautilus is very efficient in its low-speed, low-energy environment.

These laboratory ‘calibrations’ are a basis for field studies using telemeteredpressure data to develop energy budgets for this unique living fossil as a reference for comparing the energetic requirements of ancient and modern seas.