Gonatidae

Last updated

Gonatidae
Temporal range: Pliocene - recent [1]
Berryteuthis magister.jpg
Berryteuthis magister
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Oegopsida
Family: Gonatidae
Hoyle, 1886 [2]
Type genus
Gonatus
Gray, 1849
Genera

Berryteuthis
Gonatopsis
Gonatus

The Gonatidae, also known as armhook squid, are a family of moderately sized squid. The family contains about 19 species in three genera, widely distributed and plentiful in cold boreal waters of the Pacific Ocean. At least one species is known from Antarctic waters, and two from the North Atlantic. The genus Eogonatus was created for the species known as Eogonatus tinro because it did not have hooks on the tentacular club and it has 5 rows of teeth on the radula. Molecular studies in allozymes and mitochondrial DNA have indicated that this species nests within the genus Gonatus , [3] although other authorities treat it as a synonym of Gonatopsis okutanii . [4]

Contents

Description

Oral view of Berryteuthis magister, showing the arrangement of suckers Berryteuthis magister3.jpg
Oral view of Berryteuthis magister , showing the arrangement of suckers

Morphologically, armhook squid are fairly uniform: all species are characterised by the suckers of their arms, which are arranged in four rows (series) rather than the typical count of two. In most species, the arm's two mesial rows of suckers have been modified into hooks and the tentacular clubswhich are covered with many irregular rows of tiny suckersmay possess an enlarged central hook, with or without several smaller hooks. In the magister armhook squid (Berryteuthis magister), only the females possess hooks. Species of the genus Gonatus differ from the rest of the family (and from most squid) by their lack of tentacles as adults.

Only one species, the fiery armhook squid (Gonatus pyros), possesses photophores; these are located on the ventral periphery of the eyes.

Gonatids typically have muscular, cylindrical bodies with very soft, reddish to purplish-brown skin. The arms are thick and capable; the fins vary in shape and size, from sagittate and about 50% of the mantle length, to reniform and about 30% of the mantle length. Of moderate size, these squid range in size from 11 to 40 cmmost species are 25 cm or less. Females are somewhat larger than males.

Life history

Gonatus onyx on the Davidson Seamount at a depth of 1,328 m Gonatus onyx.jpg
Gonatus onyx on the Davidson Seamount at a depth of 1,328 m
Gonatus fabricii, the boreoatlantic armhook squid Gonatus fabricii 600.jpg
Gonatus fabricii , the boreoatlantic armhook squid

These squid are pelagic, associated with the continental shelf and may roam as deep as 4,500 m or more, depending on the species. Their habits are poorly studied, but the squid are thought to undertake diel migration; by day, the squid remain in the blackness of the depths in midwater. By night, they ascend to the upper layers of the water column to feed by starlight. One species, however, Gonatopsis octopedatus , has curiously recurved arms, suggesting a benthic existence.

Little is known about the reproductive cycle of armhook squid. Most squid species whose reproduction has been observed have been seen to deposit eggs on the sea floor, then leave the eggs to hatch on their own. Five female Gonatus onyx squids have been observed in Monterey Canyon dragging a membrane sack containing 2,000 to 3,000 developing eggs. [5] It is uncertain if this behavior extends to other members of the family Gonatidae or if it is particular to this species.

Prey items include both benthic and pelagic species, including smaller fish, such as sculpins and juvenile pollock, crustaceans, including euphausiids and amphipods, and other squid. Cannibalism is also known to occur among the Gonatidae. [6]

Cetaceans are important predators of gonatids; Baird's beaked whale, the narwhal, the short-finned pilot whale, Dall's porpoise, and sperm whales are all known to feed upon them. Other predators include large seabirds, northern fur seals, elephant seals, and large fish, such as grenadiers, halibut and several species of salmon. In far southern waters, Weddell seals and southern fur seals, as well as several species of albatross and penguin, feed upon Gonatus antarcticus .

Species

The species listed above with an asterisk (*) is questionable and needs further study to determine if it is a valid species or a synonym.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant squid</span> Deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae

The giant squid is a species of deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae. It can grow to a tremendous size, offering an example of abyssal gigantism: recent estimates put the maximum size at around 12–13 m (39–43 ft) for females and 10 m (33 ft) for males, from the posterior fins to the tip of the two long tentacles. The mantle of the giant squid is about 2 m long, and the length of the squid excluding its tentacles rarely exceeds 5 m (16 ft). Claims of specimens measuring 20 m (66 ft) or more have not been scientifically documented.

<i>Ancistrocheirus</i> Genus of squids

Ancistrocheirus lesueurii, the sharpear enope squid, is the only species in the genus Ancistrocheirus and family Ancistrocheiridae. With a mantle length of 25 cm, this moderately sized squid may be found throughout the tropical and subtropical oceans. They tend to be found at mesopelagic depths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whip-lash squid</span> Family of cephalopods known as whip-lash squid

The Mastigoteuthidae, also known as whip-lash squid, are a family of small deep-sea squid. Approximately 20 known species in six genera are represented, with members found in both the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zone of most oceans. Originally described by Verill in 1881, it was later lowered by Chun (1920) to a subfamily (Mastigoteuthinae) of the Chiroteuthidae. However, Roper et al. (1969) raised it back to the family level, and this has not been changed since. The taxonomy of this family is extremely unstable, and there have been at times one genus, two genera and four subgenera(Salcedo-Vargas & Okutani, 1994), two genera and several 'groups', five genera and one species with an uncertain placement, or six genera.

<i>Berryteuthis magister</i> Species of squid

Berryteuthis magister, also known as the magister armhook squid, commander squid or schoolmaster gonate squid, is a medium-sized squid in the family Gonatidae. It is found in cold, high latitude waters of the North Pacific where it is among the most numerous squid species recorded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oegopsida</span> Order of squids

Oegopsida is one of the two orders of squid in the superorder Decapodiformes, in the class Cephalopoda. Together with the Myopsina, it was formerly considered to be a suborder of the order Teuthida, in which case it was known as Oegopsina. This reclassification is due to Oegopsina and Myopsina not being demonstrated to form a clade.

<i>Metasepia pfefferi</i> Species of cuttlefish

Metasepia pfefferi, also known as the flamboyant cuttlefish, is a species of cuttlefish occurring in tropical Indo-Pacific waters off northern Australia, southern New Guinea, as well as numerous islands of the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Sepia australis, the southern cuttlefish, is a species of cuttlefish which is found in the eastern South Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean off the coasts of Southern Africa, possibly extending into the waters off East Africa.

<i>Gonatus onyx</i> Species of squid

The Gonatus Onyx is in the class Cephalopoda, in the phylum Mollusca. It is also known as the Clawed arm hook squid or Black-eyed squid. It got these names from the characteristic black eye and from its two arms with clawed hooks on the end that extend a bit further than the other arms. It is a squid in the family Gonatidae, found most commonly in the northern Pacific Ocean from Japan to California. They are one of the most abundant cephalopods off the coast of California, mostly found at deeper depths, rising during the day most likely to feed.

<i>Berryteuthis</i> Genus of squids

Berryteuthis is a genus of squid in the family Gonatidae, comprising two known species. The two members differ greatly in size, with B. anonychus and B. magister reaching mature mantle lengths of 10 cm and 40 cm respectively. In both members, photophores are absent.

The neon flying squid, sometimes called the red flying squid, akaika, and red squid is a species of large flying squid in the family Ommastrephidae. They are found in subtropical and temperate oceanic waters globally.

<i>Teuthowenia megalops</i> Species of squid

Teuthowenia megalops, sometimes known as the Atlantic cranch squid, is a species of glass squid from the subarctic and temperate waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean. They are moderately sized squid with a maximum mantle length of 40 cm (16 in). Their very large eyes are the source for the specific name megalops. Like other members of the genus Teuthowenia, they are easily recognizable by the presence of three bioluminescent organs (photophores) on their eyeballs.

<i>Gonatus antarcticus</i> Species of squid

Gonatus antarcticus is a squid in the family Gonatidae. The species is known with certainty only from southern Atlantic waters but it may have a circum-Antarctic distribution.

<i>Slosarczykovia</i> Genus of squids

Slosarczykovia is a monotypic genus of squid, its sole representative being Slosarczykovia circumantarctica. Slosarczykovia is placed in the family Brachioteuthidae.

<i>Taonius belone</i> Species of squid

Taonius belone is a glass squid belonging to the genus Taonius from the family Cranchiidae. It occurs in the northern subtropical and in the tropical or equatorial waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Gonatopsis okutanii is a species of squid from the family Gonatidae from the northern Pacific Ocean. It is of uncertain taxonomic status, the presence of remnant tentacles on spent females indicate that this species does not belong in the genus Gonatopsis and the differences between this species and Gonatus makodai have led to some authorities stating that G. okutanii is a junior synonym of Eogonatus tinro. However the World Register of Marine Species still recognises Gonatopsis okutanii as the valid name for this taxon.

<i>Gonatopsis borealis</i> Species of squid

Gonatopsis borealis, the Boreopacific armhook squid, is a species of squid from the North Pacific Ocean. It is a member of the family Gonatidae. It is an abundant species which is currently caught mainly as a bycatch by fishing boats targeting other quarry. It is an important prey species for many commercially important species of fish, as well as for marine mammals.

Eucleoteuthis is a monotypic genus of squid from the family Ommastrephidae; the only species is Eucleoteuthis luminosa, the striped flying squid or luminous flying squid.

Ornithoteuthis volatilis, the shiny bird squid, is a squid from the subfamily Ommastrephinae, the flying squids, of the family Ommastrephidae part of the pelagic squid order Oegopsida. It is a tropical and sub-tropical species which is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific oceans. It is slightly larger than the closely related species Ornithoteuthis antillarum of the Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European flying squid</span> Species of squid

The European flying squid is a species of squid from the continental slope and oceanic waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the type species of the genus Todarodes, the type genus of the subfamily Todarodinae of the pelagic squid family Ommastrephidae. It is a species which is targeted by some fisheries, although it is more often a bycatch.

<i>Rossia</i> Genus of molluscs

Rossia is a genus of 10 species of benthic bobtail squid in the family Sepioidae found in all oceans. They live at depths greater than 50 m (164 ft) and can grow up to 9 cm in mantle length. This genus was first discovered in 1832 by Sir John Ross and his nephew James Clark Ross in the Arctic Seas, showing a resemblance to another genus under the same family, Sepiola. After returning from their expedition, Sir Richard Owen officially classified Rossia to be a new genus, naming it after Sir John and James Clark Ross.

References

  1. "Statoliths of Cenozoic teuthoid cephalopods from North America | The Palaeontological Association". www.palass.org. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  2. Julian Finn (2016). "Gonatidae Hoyle, 1886". World Register of Marine Species. Flanders Marine Institute. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  3. P. Jereb; C.F.E. Roper, eds. (2010). Cephalopods of the World an Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Cephalopod Species Known to Date Volume 2 Myopsid and Oegopsid Squids (PDF). Food and Agriculture Organization Rome. p. 222. ISBN   978-92-5-106720-8.
  4. Kubodera, Tsunemi; F. G. Hochberg; Richard E. Young & Michael Vecchione (2014). "Eogonatus Nesis, 1972". Tree of Life Web Project . Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  5. Seibel, BA; Robison BH; Haddock SH (December 15, 2005). "Post-spawning egg care by a squid". Nature. 438 (7070): 929. Bibcode:2005Natur.438..929S. doi: 10.1038/438929a . PMID   16355206.
  6. Hoving, H. J. T; Robinson, B. H. (2016). "Deep-sea in situ observations of gonatid squid and their prey reveal high occurrence of cannibalism". Deep Sea Research Part 1: Oceanographic Research Papers. 116: 94–98. doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2016.08.001 . Retrieved 2021-03-02.