Nora,

The shell of the paper nautilus is an carried by the female as an exterior
covering.  I'll send you a line drawing off list.

Tom


> About the "Paper Nautilus" - I am under the impression that the shell is
really
> the egg case of the female and therefore there would be no animal living
in it.
> If this is right, does anyone know if it is carried within or on the
female, or
> does she release it into the water or attach it to something.
>
> Nora
> Calgary, Alberta
>
> "Monfils, Paul" wrote:
>
> > Hi Sylvia,
> > I assume you are asking about the argonaut or "paper nautilus", since
the
> > true Nautilus never leaves its shell while alive.  Pictures of many
kinds of
> > cephalopods can be found at the following website.  I'm not sure if an
> > argonaut without the shell is shown there or not.
> >
> > http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/tree/cephalopoda/cephalopoda.html
> >
> > If you are looking for the paper nautilus on this site, just keep in
mind
> > that it is not actually a Nautilus, and will not be found in that
section.
> > It is actually an octopus.  So go to the octopoda section, and then find
the
> > family Argonautidae.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Paul M.
>