Cephalopoda |
Octopoda |
Argonautidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Pelagic; depth range 0 - 200 m (Ref. 83938). Tropical; 50°N - 42°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 275)
Circumglobal in tropical and warm temperate seas.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 72.6 cm TL (female)
Maximum total length: male, 1.5 to 2.0 cm. Maximum length of shell, 30 cm in females; males are of dwarf size, only 1.5 to 2 cm in total length (Ref. 275). Maximum total length 72.6 cm, and mantle length 14.14 cm for females (122434). Epipelagic (Ref. 83938). Females use the shell to trap air, gathered at the sea surface, to attain neutral buoyancy (Ref. 96968). Few shells found washed up on beaches (Ref. 88739).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
On contact with the female, it is presumed that the male autotomizes the hectocotylus. Multiple hectocotyli can persist in shells and mantle cavities of females for extended periods. Eggs of up to five different developmental stages may be present within a single shell (Ref. 96968). Females inhabit the shell of Nautilus for egg deposition and brooding (Ref. 98241).
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: commercial
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
Population dynamicsGrowthMax. ages / sizesLength-weight rel.Length-length rel.Length-frequenciesMass conversionAbundance PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 13.6 - 27.8, mean 23.8 (based on 1594 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Moderate to high vulnerability (49 of 100).
Price category
Unknown.
