Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

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)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Circumglobal in warm and temperate oceanic waters.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? 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).

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Roper, C.F.E., M.J. Sweeney and C.E. Nauen. 1984. (Ref. 275)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 11 May 2010

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: of potential interest
| FishSource |

Tools

E-book | Field guide

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items

Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance

References
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 7.6 - 23, mean 14.3 (based on 1813 cells).

Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Low vulnerability (20 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Onychoteuthis banksii (Leach, 1817)