Volutiform

Volutiform is an adjective meaning in the shape of a volute, i.e., spiral and scroll-like. The term comes from Latin voluta, meaning a rolled or scroll-like thing, with the suffix -form indicating “in the form of.” It is used mainly as a descriptive descriptor in fields such as malacology (the study of mollusks), paleontology, and, less commonly, botany, to characterize specimens whose overall silhouette resembles a volute—the spiral, scroll-shaped form associated with certain shells.

In malacology, volutiform shells describe a range of gastropods whose conch outline is coiled into an elongated, rounded spiral, as seen in some species within the family Volutidae. In paleontology and geology, the descriptor can apply to fossil shells or spiral aggregates that exhibit a volute-like geometry. The term is descriptive rather than taxonomic, and does not designate a specific clade or lineage, but rather a morphology that may occur across different groups. Related terms include volute (the spiral form itself) and volutiform as an alternative adjective form. The usage emphasizes the visual similarity to a spiral scroll rather than implying a particular evolutionary relationship.