Talk:Nautilus
From Academic Kids
| This article is part of WikiProject Cephalopods, an attempt at creating a standardized, informative and easy-to-use cephalopod resource. If you would like to participate, you can choose to edit this article, or visit the project page for more information. |
| Contents |
plural
Just like octopus, this is another Latinized Greek word with more than one accepted plural (17th century Latin from Greek nautilos sailor). If there are no objections I'd hereby like to establish that nautiluses is preferred over nautili for the use in plain English articles. Femto 20:53, 5 Nov 2004 (UTC)
Merge?
Should this be merged with Nautiloid or vice versa? Seem like they overlap considerably, but I'm no cephalopod expert. --Lexor|Talk 13:37, Nov 16, 2004 (UTC)
- Ah, I think I see now, nautiloids refer to all the extinct forms of cephalopod's as well. OK, nix that.
- Okay, ixnay on the autilusnay. Too funny there was that "autiluses" typo. Get it? I kill myself.
As an aside, the split between Chambered Nautilus makes sense from a classification standpoint, but it really needs a more prominent link than just those in the lists, until the other topics are expanded. Femto 16:22, 16 Nov 2004 (UTC)
Picture of animal
Would it be possible to put a picture of the actual animal on this page, in addition to the shell? Joblio 10:35, 21 Feb 2005 (UTC)
- Thanks, Toytoy! Joblio 12:18, 22 May 2005 (UTC)
Logarithmic spiral and golden ratio
I've added a few words on log spirals and golden ratio to the main page.
I expect the golden section bit to be critizied, so here is my answer to that criticism (a bit premature, perhaps...).
- If you think there really are golden ratios in the shell, please explain exactly where, and verify it (for yourself) by accurate measurements on a good photograph.
- If you think a ratio that really isn't there shouldn't be mentioned at all, let me assure you that lots of people out there know very little about the Nautilus, except for one thing: They have golden ratios in them... and I think such widespread misconceptions must be addressed.
--Niels Ø 15:06, Mar 18, 2005 (UTC)
classical references
Where the article says "The name originally referred to the Argonauta, otherwise called the paper nautilus, because it was alleged to use its two disk-bearing arms as sails," would it be reasonable to add (cf. Arist. H.A. 622b)? H.A. for Historia Animalium, the customary Latin title for the Greek work. Aristotle's work will most often prove to be the source of this error in pre-modern writings.
Also, Callimachus, epigram XIV, is a short dedication to Aphrodite spoken from the point of view of the nautilus shell that is dedicated. Lines 3-6 concern its movement, using the same mistaken biology of a foot-sail. Since the entire epigram is about the nautilus, it might be a nice note somewhere.
