Deep-Sea taxon details
Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758)
141548 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:141548)
accepted
Species
Spirula peroni Lamarck, 1822 · unaccepted (misspelling)
Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822 · unaccepted (synonym)
marine, fresh, terrestrial
recent + fossil
(of ) 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, https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/getref.asp?id=2787
page(s): 710 [details] Available for editors
page(s): 710 [details] Available for editors
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: Glover, A.G.; Higgs, N.; Horton, T. (2025) World Register of Deep-Sea species (WoRDSS) at: https://marinespecies.org/deepsea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141548 on 2026-04-27
Glover, A.G.; Higgs, N.; Horton, T. (2026). World Register of Deep-Sea species (WoRDSS). Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/Deepsea/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141548 on 2026-04-27
Date
action
by
original description
(of ) 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, https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/getref.asp?id=2787
page(s): 710 [details] Available for editors
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]
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 Leslie, R. & Lipinski, M. (2018). Phylum Mollusca - Class Cephalopoda. In: Atkinson, L.J. and Sink, K.J. (eds) Field Guide to the Offshore Marine Invertebrates of South Africa. Malachite Marketing and Media: Pretoria. Pp. 321–391. , available online at http://doi.org/10.15493/SAEON.PUB.10000001
page(s): 335 [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] Available for editors
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., available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.1976.10423557
note: fossil record from early Miocene [details] Available for editors
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]
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]
page(s): 710 [details] Available for editors
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]
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 Leslie, R. & Lipinski, M. (2018). Phylum Mollusca - Class Cephalopoda. In: Atkinson, L.J. and Sink, K.J. (eds) Field Guide to the Offshore Marine Invertebrates of South Africa. Malachite Marketing and Media: Pretoria. Pp. 321–391. , available online at http://doi.org/10.15493/SAEON.PUB.10000001
page(s): 335 [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] Available for editors
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., available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.1976.10423557
note: fossil record from early Miocene [details] Available for editors
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]
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]
Present 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 (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 Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Indonesia, Maluku, Maluku, Pulau Boo Kecil, beached...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Indonesia, Maluku, Maluku, Pulau Boo Kecil, beached...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura)
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura, Oliva Beach, beache...
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 de...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus,1758) Morocco, Guelmim-Es Smara, Port De Laâyoune)
To PESI
To PESI (from synonym Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection
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 ITIS
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 Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Indonesia, Maluku, Maluku, Pulau Boo Kecil, beached...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Indonesia, Maluku, Maluku, Pulau Boo Kecil, beached...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura)
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura, Oliva Beach, beache...
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 de...
To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus,1758) Morocco, Guelmim-Es Smara, Port De Laâyoune)
To PESI
To PESI (from synonym Spirula peronii Lamarck, 1822)
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Mollusca Collection
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 ITIS
Unreviewed
Hosted externally
Hosted externally
.jpg "To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura)")
Hosted externally
 peronii.jpg "To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Fuerteventura, Oliva Beach, beache...")
Hosted externally
.jpg "To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Gran Canaria, Playa de las Burras,...")
Hosted externally
.jpg "To Malacopics (Spirula spirula (Linnaeus, 1758) Spain, Canarias, Lanzarote, Costa Teguise, Playa de...")
Hosted externally
Hosted externally
