winged argonaut; paper nautilus (Argonauta hians)
A species of pelagic octopus known for the paper-thin shell secreted by the female. The Japanese name literally means 'ship octopus'.
See also: タコブネ
The winged argonaut is a type of octopus that creates a thin, shell-like structure.
I saw a specimen of a winged argonaut at the aquarium.
Katakana spelling is standard for this species name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and may not be widely recognized; it but marks the word is listed as usually written in kana.
Compound of 船 (fune, 'ship') and 蛸 (tako, 'octopus'), referring to the shell-like structure that resembles a tiny ship. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.