Cephalopoda |
Oegopsida |
Onychoteuthidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Pelagic; depth range 0 - 800 m (Ref. 275). Tropical; 70°N - 44°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 97142)
Circumglobal in warm and temperate oceanic waters.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 37.0 cm ML male/unsexed; (Ref. 97142)
Also caught using jigs (Ref. 417) and dip nets (Ref. 275). Medium-sized squid; mantle length up to 300 mm (370 mm only in the northern Pacific Ocean, Nesis 1982, 1987) (Ref. 97142). Oceanic, eurythermal, meso- and epipelagic species that occurs from the surface to 150 m depth and as deep as 4, 000 m. A schooling species frequently observed "flying" above the surface to escape predators in pursuit. Very dense muscular structure and high respiration rates confirm it is a fast-swimming, slow-growing species. Paralarvae are abundant in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, particularly from January to March. Spent females have severely degenerated muscular tissue of head, mantle, fins, as well as missing tentacles, so that they appear almost gelatinous. Prey consists of fishes and squids. Predators include giant red shrimp, fishes, e.g. albacore, yellowfin tuna, lancetfish, swordfish, tiger shark, smooth hammerhead shark, spinner, Frasier’s striped and Risso’s dolphins, toothed whales and fur seals (Ref. 97142).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Males mature earlier than females; synchronous oocyte development with high fecundity, i.e., more or less 200,000 eggs (Ref. 97142).
Roper, C.F.E., M.J. Sweeney and C.E. Nauen 1984 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 3. Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of species of interest to fisheries. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(3):277p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 275)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
Fisheries: of potential interest
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 7.6 - 23, mean 14.3 (based on 1813 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100).
