Spirula
mollusk genus
Quick Summary
The term "Spirula" can refer to a genus of small cephalopods related to extinct belemnites. These marine creatures possess a coiled, multi-chambered shell that is often found floating on the surface after the animal has died.1
It is important to distinguish this from Spirillum, which is a genus of spiral-shaped bacteria found in aquatic environments. Additionally, Spirura is a genus of parasitic worms found in rodents. The term "spirula" itself, derived from Latin, means "coil" or "twist".231
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
7 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
