page_title: Spirula
section_title: Behaviour
hierarchical_section_title: Spirula / Behaviour
caption_attribution_description: Spirula spirula
context_page_description: Spirula spirula is a species of deep-water squid-like cephalopod mollusk. It is the only extant member of the genus Spirula, the family Spirulidae, and the order Spirulida. Because of the shape of its internal shell, it is commonly known as the ram's horn squid or the little post horn squid. Because the live animal has a light-emitting organ, it is also sometimes known as the tail-light squid.
  Live specimens of this cephalopod are very rarely seen because it is a deep-ocean dweller. The small internal shell of the species is, however, quite a familiar object to many beachcombers. The shell of Spirula is extremely light in weight, very buoyant, and surprisingly durable; it very commonly floats ashore onto tropical beaches all over the world. This seashell is known to shell collectors as the ram's horn shell or simply as Spirula.
context_section_description: S. spirula is capable of emitting a green light from a photophore located at the tip of its mantle, between the ear-shaped fins.
caption: End of mantle showing the photophore
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