Family Sepiolidae - bobtail squids

  Order
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  Class
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Cephalopoda
  No. of Genera in Ref.
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  No. of Species in Ref.
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  Environment
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Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes
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  Remark
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Small and broad cepha lo pods with a rounded posterior mantle. Dorsal mantle margin fused to head in some species, ventral mantle margin extends beneath the head in others. Fins broadly separated posteriorly, ear-like, with free anterior and posterior lobes. Large eyes with cornea and ventral eye lid. Lateral funnel adductor present between head and funnel at funnel locking apparatus, which is simple and linear. Median mantle cavity divided by septum. Strong adductor muscles present. Protective membranes of arms generally absent. One or both dorsal arms (I) hectocotylized; 1 arm of pair II (dorsolateral) may also be modified. Tentacles retractable with well defined club. Pen chitinous, rudime tary or absent. Frequently with light organs on ink sac; light organs fused into a single large organ in some species. Benthic or neritic. There are some mesopelagic species living in midwater over or near the continental slope (Ref. 104052). Associated with sandy or rubbly substrates and seagrass beds in coastal waters and deeper continental shelf to 60 m (Ref. 346).
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Ref.
[ e.g. 9948]                       
Glossary
                    [ e.g. cephalopods]