Spirula

[GPO87]

Spirula spirula, commonly known as the Ram's-horn squid, is a deep water cephalopod. They are rare to see alive, however, their internal spiral shells can commonly be found on beaches. They are small (about 45 mm) and have a photophore on the end of their mantle.


Adult S. spirula


S. spirula shells on beach.

Info at:
http://tolweb.org/Spirula_spirula/19989

 

[DWhatley]

OOOW, I have seen those "shells"! Cool!

 

[DWhatley]

A layman's article on Spirula from Real Monstrosities April 2014 (includes images and pronunciation)

 

[GPO87]

Come one! Come all! Twitter video of Spirula in the wild!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1321121489580679169

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Upside down??????

 

[tonmo]

 

[TheSeeker]

I am always confused with where to place Spirula in the taxonomy of my head, I know the common name refers to it as a squid but it looks so much more like a cuttlefish to me...

 

[tonmo]

I am always confused with where to place Spirula in the taxonomy of my head, I know the common name refers to it as a squid but it looks so much more like a cuttlefish to me...

I'm that way with the bobtail squid...!

 

[tonmo]

Speaking of which -- here's a new paper about the encounter (h/t to the ALCES crew):

The First In Situ Observation of the Ram’s Horn Squid Spirula spirula Turns “Common Knowledge” Upside Down

The ram’s horn squid Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) is the only extant cephalopod with an internal calcareous, chambered shell that is coiled, making it the sole living representative of the once speciose order Spirulida [...]

www.mdpi.com