This is a vintage scientific illustration of an Argonauta octopus, also known as the paper nautilus. The octopus is depicted in profile, with its body a dark reddish-brown color. It has eight long, slender tentacles extending outwards, each adorned with small, circular suckers. The most striking feature is the delicate, pearly white, spiral shell that the octopus carries. The shell is not a true external shell like those of snails, but is actually secreted by the female Argonaut and used as an egg case. The illustration is detailed and precise, typical of scientific illustrations from the 19th century. The background is a pale yellow, and the image is framed by a rectangular border. The text 'Argonauta Argo Linne' is written below the illustration. The top of the image has the text 'Cephalopodes' and 'Pl.17' on the left and 'G. Argonautic' on the right. The bottom of the image has the text 'Verary del ex vivo & Cromal in Lit. Armanno'.