Family Spirulidae - ram's horn squid

  Order
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  Class
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Cephalopoda
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  Environment
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Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes
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  First Fossil Record
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  Remark
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Author: Ref. 346. A single species in the family, Spirula spirula. A small, muscular species. Internal chambered shell spirally coiled, located in posterior end of mantle. Small round fins separate, terminal, nearly transverse to body axis. Large photophore located be tween fins. Funnel-mantle locking cartilage a simple, straight groove and ridge. Eyes large, without cornea but with muscular eyelids. Arm lengths in crease from dorsal to ventral, each arm with 4 to 6 longitudinal series of small suckers. Both ventral arms hectocotylized in males. Tentacular clubs with subequal suckers in 16 series, not divided into manus and dactylus. Colour: dark reddish brown. Skin smooth but mantle under skin covered with regularly aligned collagen fibrils that produce a silvery sheen. No direct interest to fishery exists. Stranded shells sold in shell trade (Ref. 104052).
  Etymology
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  Division
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  Main Ref.
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Ref.
[ e.g. 3742]                  
Glossary
                      [ e.g. cnidaria]
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