WoRMS taxon details
Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758)
141548 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:141548)
accepted
Species
Lituus laevis Gray, 1849 · unaccepted (synonym)
Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758 · unaccepted (original combination)
Spirula australis Lamarck, 1816 · unaccepted (synonym)
Spirula blakei Lönnberg, 1896 · unaccepted (synonym)
Spirula fragilis Lamarck, 1801 · unaccepted (junior objective synonym of...)
junior objective synonym of Nautilus spirula, Rejected and Invalid Species Names in Zoology O.315
Spirula peroni Lamarck, 1822 · unaccepted (misspelling)
Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822 · unaccepted (synonym)
Spirula prototypus [sic] · unaccepted (misspelling; junior synonym)
Spirula reticulata Owen, 1848 · unaccepted (synonym)
Spirulea prototypos F. Péron & Lesueur, 1807 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
marine, fresh, terrestrial
recent + fossil
(of Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 710 [details] Available for editors
[request]
page(s): 710 [details] Available for editors
[request]
Distribution circum-(sub)tropical
Distribution Tropical and subtropical oceanic waters worldwide, where the water temperature at 400 m is 10ºC or warmer
Distribution Westrern Atlantic: Cape Cod to the West Indies
Distribution circum-(sub)tropical [details]
Distribution Tropical and subtropical oceanic waters worldwide, where the water temperature at 400 m is 10ºC or warmer
Distribution Tropical and subtropical oceanic waters worldwide, where the water temperature at 400 m is 10ºC or warmer [details]
Distribution Westrern Atlantic: Cape Cod to the West Indies
Distribution Westrern Atlantic: Cape Cod to the West Indies [details]
MolluscaBase eds. (2025). MolluscaBase. Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141548 on 2025-04-01
Date
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Nomenclature
original description
(of Spirula australis Lamarck, 1816) Lamarck, [J. B. P. A. de M. de]. (1816). Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique des trois règnes de la nature, Mollusques et polypes divers. Part 23 [Livraison 84, 14 December 1816], Tome 3, pp. 1-16, pls. 391-431, 431 bis, 431 bis*, 432-488, Paris: Vve Agasse., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37162278 [details]
original description (of Spirula fragilis Lamarck, 1801) Lamarck, J. B. (1801). Système des animaux sans vertèbres, ou tableau général des classes, des ordres et des genres de ces animaux. <em>Published by the author and Deterville, Paris.</em> : viii + 432 pp., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14117719
page(s): 102 [details]
original description (of Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 710 [details] Available for editors [request]
original description (of Lituus laevis Gray, 1849) Gray, J. E. (1849). <i>Catalogue of the Mollusca in the collection of the British Museum I: Cephalopoda antepedia</i>. London: British Museum. 164 pp,. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47563
page(s): 116 [details]
original description (of Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822) Lamarck, [J.-B. M.] de. (1822). <i>Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres</i>. Tome septième, 711 pp. Paris, published by the author. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47433
page(s): 601 [details]
original description (of Spirula reticulata Owen, 1848) Owen, R. (1848). Description of two mutilated specimen of Spirula peronii, with some observations on S. australis and reticulate. In A. Adams, and L. Reeve, 1848–1850, The Zoology of the Voyage of HMS “Samarang” under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher. pp. 6-17., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39770949
page(s): 14 [details]
original description (of Spirulea prototypos F. Péron & Lesueur, 1807) Péron, F. [& L. Freycinet]. (1807-1816). <i>Voyage de découvertes aux Terres Australes, exécuté par ordre de sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi,. ... pendant les années 1800. 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804</i>. Paris. I: xv + 496 pp. [1807]; II: xxxi + 471 pp. [1816]; Atlas, 65 pls & maps. , available online at https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.44096
page(s): pl. 30, fig. 4 [details]
original description (of Spirula fragilis Lamarck, 1801) Lamarck, J. B. (1801). Système des animaux sans vertèbres, ou tableau général des classes, des ordres et des genres de ces animaux. <em>Published by the author and Deterville, Paris.</em> : viii + 432 pp., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14117719
page(s): 102 [details]
original description (of Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 710 [details] Available for editors
[request]original description (of Lituus laevis Gray, 1849) Gray, J. E. (1849). <i>Catalogue of the Mollusca in the collection of the British Museum I: Cephalopoda antepedia</i>. London: British Museum. 164 pp,. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47563
page(s): 116 [details]
original description (of Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822) Lamarck, [J.-B. M.] de. (1822). <i>Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres</i>. Tome septième, 711 pp. Paris, published by the author. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47433
page(s): 601 [details]
original description (of Spirula reticulata Owen, 1848) Owen, R. (1848). Description of two mutilated specimen of Spirula peronii, with some observations on S. australis and reticulate. In A. Adams, and L. Reeve, 1848–1850, The Zoology of the Voyage of HMS “Samarang” under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher. pp. 6-17., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39770949
page(s): 14 [details]
original description (of Spirulea prototypos F. Péron & Lesueur, 1807) Péron, F. [& L. Freycinet]. (1807-1816). <i>Voyage de découvertes aux Terres Australes, exécuté par ordre de sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi,. ... pendant les années 1800. 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804</i>. Paris. I: xv + 496 pp. [1807]; II: xxxi + 471 pp. [1816]; Atlas, 65 pls & maps. , available online at https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.44096
page(s): pl. 30, fig. 4 [details]
Taxonomy
status source
Hoffmann, R.; Weinkauf, M. F. G.; Fuchs, D.; Lukeneder, A. (2021). Is there more than one species in the genus <i>Spirula</i>(Cephalopoda: Decabrachia): evidence for an Atlantic–Pacific divide. <em>Journal of Molluscan Studies.</em> 87(1)., available online at https://doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyab001 [details]
Other
context source (Deepsea)
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), available online at http://www.iobis.org/ [details]
additional source Dautzenberg, P. (1923). Liste préliminaire des mollusques marins de Madagascar et description de deux espèces nouvelles. <em>Journal de Conchyliologie.</em> 68: 21-74., available online at https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5656754n [details]
additional source Dautzenberg P. (1929). Contribution à l'étude de la faune de Madagascar: Mollusca marina testacea. Faune des colonies françaises. [Contribution to the study of the fauna of Madagascar: Mollusca marina testacea. Fauna of the French colonies.]. <em>Société d'Editions Géographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales.</em> 3(4): 321-636, pls 4-7. Paris. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Branch, G. M. (2002). Two Oceans. 5th impression. <em>David Philip, Cate Town & Johannesburg.</em> , available online at http://books.google.es/books?id=W_2QB8ftLgcC [details]
additional source Ardovini, R.; Cossignani, T. (2004). West African seashells (including Azores, Madeira and Canary Is.) = Conchiglie dell'Africa Occidentale (incluse Azzorre, Madeira e Canarie). English-Italian edition. L'Informatore Piceno: Ancona, Italy. ISBN 88-86070-11-X. 319 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Abbott, R. T. (1974). <i>American seashells. The marine Mollusca of the Atlantic and Pacific coast of North America</i>. ed. 2. Van Nostrand, New York. 663 pp., 24 pls. [October 1974]. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Spencer, H.G., Marshall, B.A. & Willan, R.C. (2009). Checklist of New Zealand living Mollusca. Pp 196-219. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (ed.) New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume one. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> Canterbury University Press, Christchurch. [details]
additional source Judkins, H. L., M. Vecchione, and C. F. E. Roper. 2009. Cephalopoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 701–709 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]
additional source Rosenberg, G. 1992. <i>Encyclopedia of Seashells</i>. Dorset: New York. 224 pp.
page(s): 179 [details]
additional source Hayward, B. W. (1976). Spirula (Sepioidea:Cephalopoda) from the lower Miocene of Kaipara Harbour, New Zealand (note. <em>New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics.</em> 19, 145-147.
note: fossil record from early Miocene [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Reid, A. (2005). Family Spirulidae. pp. 211-212, in P. Jereb & C.F.E. Roper eds. <em>Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cephalopod species known to date.</em> Volume 1. Chambered nautiluses and sepioids (<em>Nautilidae</em>, <em>Sepiidae</em>, <em>Sepiolidae</em>, <em>Sepiadariidae</em>, <em>Idiosepiidae</em> and <em>Spirulidae</em>). <em>FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes [Rome, FAO].</em> 4(1): 262 pp. 9 pls.
page(s): 211 [details]
additional source Johnson, C. W. (1926). <i>Spirula spirula</i> (Linne). <em>The Nautilus.</em> 39(4): 141-142., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8524776 [details]
additional source McGinty, T. L. (1955). <i>Spirula spirula</i> Linné, a remarkable find. <em>The Nautilus.</em> 69(1): 35., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8525198 [details]
additional source Thomas, R. F. & Bingham, F. O. (1972). Shell structure in <i>Spirula spirula</i> (Cephalopoda). <em>The Nautilus.</em> 86(2-4): 63-66, figs. 1-8., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8511576 [details]
additional source Dautzenberg, P. (1923). Liste préliminaire des mollusques marins de Madagascar et description de deux espèces nouvelles. <em>Journal de Conchyliologie.</em> 68: 21-74., available online at https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5656754n [details]
additional source Dautzenberg P. (1929). Contribution à l'étude de la faune de Madagascar: Mollusca marina testacea. Faune des colonies françaises. [Contribution to the study of the fauna of Madagascar: Mollusca marina testacea. Fauna of the French colonies.]. <em>Société d'Editions Géographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales.</em> 3(4): 321-636, pls 4-7. Paris. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Branch, G. M. (2002). Two Oceans. 5th impression. <em>David Philip, Cate Town & Johannesburg.</em> , available online at http://books.google.es/books?id=W_2QB8ftLgcC [details]
additional source Ardovini, R.; Cossignani, T. (2004). West African seashells (including Azores, Madeira and Canary Is.) = Conchiglie dell'Africa Occidentale (incluse Azzorre, Madeira e Canarie). English-Italian edition. L'Informatore Piceno: Ancona, Italy. ISBN 88-86070-11-X. 319 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Abbott, R. T. (1974). <i>American seashells. The marine Mollusca of the Atlantic and Pacific coast of North America</i>. ed. 2. Van Nostrand, New York. 663 pp., 24 pls. [October 1974]. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Spencer, H.G., Marshall, B.A. & Willan, R.C. (2009). Checklist of New Zealand living Mollusca. Pp 196-219. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (ed.) New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume one. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> Canterbury University Press, Christchurch. [details]
additional source Judkins, H. L., M. Vecchione, and C. F. E. Roper. 2009. Cephalopoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 701–709 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]
additional source Rosenberg, G. 1992. <i>Encyclopedia of Seashells</i>. Dorset: New York. 224 pp.
page(s): 179 [details]
additional source Hayward, B. W. (1976). Spirula (Sepioidea:Cephalopoda) from the lower Miocene of Kaipara Harbour, New Zealand (note. <em>New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics.</em> 19, 145-147.
note: fossil record from early Miocene [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Reid, A. (2005). Family Spirulidae. pp. 211-212, in P. Jereb & C.F.E. Roper eds. <em>Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cephalopod species known to date.</em> Volume 1. Chambered nautiluses and sepioids (<em>Nautilidae</em>, <em>Sepiidae</em>, <em>Sepiolidae</em>, <em>Sepiadariidae</em>, <em>Idiosepiidae</em> and <em>Spirulidae</em>). <em>FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes [Rome, FAO].</em> 4(1): 262 pp. 9 pls.
page(s): 211 [details]
additional source Johnson, C. W. (1926). <i>Spirula spirula</i> (Linne). <em>The Nautilus.</em> 39(4): 141-142., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8524776 [details]
additional source McGinty, T. L. (1955). <i>Spirula spirula</i> Linné, a remarkable find. <em>The Nautilus.</em> 69(1): 35., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8525198 [details]
additional source Thomas, R. F. & Bingham, F. O. (1972). Shell structure in <i>Spirula spirula</i> (Cephalopoda). <em>The Nautilus.</em> 86(2-4): 63-66, figs. 1-8., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8511576 [details]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
Unreviewed
Distribution circum-(sub)tropical [details]Distribution Tropical and subtropical oceanic waters worldwide, where the water temperature at 400 m is 10ºC or warmer [details]
Distribution Westrern Atlantic: Cape Cod to the West Indies [details]
Habitat oceanic, pelagic [details]
Habitat Known from seamounts and knolls [details]
Habitat This is a mesopelagic species, inhabiting from 600 to 700 m during the day and found in depths less than 300 m at night. Capture of young at depths between 1 000 and 1 750 m suggests that females possibly lay eggs on the bottom of continental slopes [details]
Length Rarely exceeds 45 mm mantle length. [details]
Synonymy a possible synonym might be Stoa ammonitiformis de Serres, 1855 [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch | posthoreninktvis | [details] |
| English | ram's horn squidram's horn shellram's horncommon spirula | [details] |
| French | spirule | [details] |
| German | Posthörnchen | [details] |
| Japanese | トグロコウイカ | [details] |
| Spanish | espírula | [details] |
To Barcode of Life (10 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (112 publications) (from synonym Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (152 publications) (from synonym Spirula australis Lamarck, 1816)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (24 publications) (from synonym Spirula peroni Lamarck, 1822)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (58 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (88 publications) (from synonym Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Spirula spirula)
To GenBank (40 nucleotides; 47 proteins)
To GenBank (40 nucleotides; 47 proteins) (from synonym Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Indonesia, Maluku, Maluku, Pulau Boo Kecil, beache...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Indonesia, Maluku, Maluku, Pulau Boo Kecil, beache...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura, Oliva Beach, beach...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Gran Canaria, Playa de las Burras...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Lanzarote, Costa Teguise, Playa d...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758))
To PESI
To PESI (from synonym Lituus laevis Gray, 1849)
To PESI (from synonym Spirula blakei Lönnberg, 1896)
To PESI (from synonym Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822)
To PESI (from synonym Spirula reticulata Owen, 1848)
To PESI (from synonym Spirulea prototypos F. Péron & Lesueur, 1807)
To PESI (from synonym Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758)
To PESI (from synonym Spirula australis Lamarck, 1816)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection (from synonym Spirula peroni Lamarck, 1822)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection (from synonym Spirula peroni Lamarck, 1822)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection (from synonym Spirula fragilis Lamarck, 1801)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection (from synonym Spirula australis Lamarck, 1816)
To ITIS
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (112 publications) (from synonym Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (152 publications) (from synonym Spirula australis Lamarck, 1816)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (24 publications) (from synonym Spirula peroni Lamarck, 1822)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (58 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (88 publications) (from synonym Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Spirula spirula)
To GenBank (40 nucleotides; 47 proteins)
To GenBank (40 nucleotides; 47 proteins) (from synonym Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Indonesia, Maluku, Maluku, Pulau Boo Kecil, beache...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Indonesia, Maluku, Maluku, Pulau Boo Kecil, beache...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura, Oliva Beach, beach...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Gran Canaria, Playa de las Burras...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Lanzarote, Costa Teguise, Playa d...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758))
To PESI
To PESI (from synonym Lituus laevis Gray, 1849)
To PESI (from synonym Spirula blakei Lönnberg, 1896)
To PESI (from synonym Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822)
To PESI (from synonym Spirula reticulata Owen, 1848)
To PESI (from synonym Spirulea prototypos F. Péron & Lesueur, 1807)
To PESI (from synonym Nautilus spirula Linnaeus, 1758)
To PESI (from synonym Spirula australis Lamarck, 1816)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection (from synonym Spirula peroni Lamarck, 1822)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection (from synonym Spirula peroni Lamarck, 1822)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection (from synonym Spirula fragilis Lamarck, 1801)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection (from synonym Spirula australis Lamarck, 1816)
To ITIS
 peronii.jpg "To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura, Oliva Beach, beach...")
.jpg "To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Gran Canaria, Playa de las Burras...")
.jpg "To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Lanzarote, Costa Teguise, Playa d...")
.jpg "To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758))")
