Argonaut octopus eggcase shell. Egg case from a female greater argonaut (Argonauta argo) found in the Indo-Pacific. Argonauts are a group of pelagic octopuses. They are also called paper nautiluses,referring to the paper-thin eggcase (seen here) that females secrete. This structure is not a true cephalopod shell,but an evolutionary innovation unique to the Argonaut genus. It is used as a brood chamber and for trapped surface air to maintain buoyancy. Argonauts are found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. This specimen measures 185mm long | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Mermet, Gilles |
Bildgröße: | 3709 px × 4734 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |