Marine Curios #17 –  Argonaut, or paper nautilus

Argonauts, or paper nautili, are a special type of shelled octopus. Female argonauts create thin shells that serve as their eggcases and help them stay buoyant in tropical waters. These creatures are often seen during blackwater dives and are known for their unique mating and feeding habits. Males are much smaller than females and only mate once before dying. Argonauts can produce ink for defense and use their tentacles to catch food like crustaceans and jellyfish.