Argonauta cornutais aspeciesofpelagicoctopusbelonging to thegenusArgonauta. The female of the species, like allargonauts, creates a paper-thin eggcase that coils around the octopus much like the way anautiluslives in its shell (hence the namepaper nautilus). The shell is usually approximately 80 mm in length, although it can exceed 90 mm in exceptional specimens; the world record size is 98.6 mm.[1]
This species seems to have a relatively limiteddistributionconfined to the waters surroundingWestern MexicoandBaja California. For this reason, it is considered one of the rarest of theArgonautaspecies.
The taxonomic status of this species is questionable. Further research is needed to determine whether it is a valid species or a synonym of the highly variableA. hians.
Thetype localityofA. cornutais unknown. Thetype specimenis deposited at theAcademy of Natural SciencesinPhiladelphia.[2]
