Taonius borealis

Taonius borealis
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Order:	Oegopsida
Family:	Cranchiidae
Genus:	Taonius
Species:	T. borealis
Binomial name
Taonius borealis (Nesis, 1972) [2]
Synonyms
Belonella (pacifica) borealisNesis, 1972 Belonella borealisNesis, 1972

Taonius borealis is a glass squid belonging to the genus Taonius. It is found in the North Pacific Ocean, ranging from Japan to southern California. ^{[2] [3]}

Taonius borealis is a transparent to dark purple color. ^[4] They have tentacles or arms, and each arm consists of two suckers per row. The tentacular club armature consists of four hooked suckers per row, medial suckers with one or two large hooks and several small cusps. Their longest arms can have up to 90 suckers each, rapidly decreasing in size going down the tentacle. Taonius borealis is distinguished by their usually stouter mantle. ^[5] The maximum size is 45-centimetre (18 in) mantle length. Their regular habitat is mesopelagic to bathypelagic. They mostly feed on shrimps, small fishes, including myctophids, and other squids. Predators include whales, sharks, and squids.

References

1. Barratt, I.; Allcock, L. (2014). "Taonius borealis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014 e.T163245A989333. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T163245A989333.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
2. Julian Finn (2016). "Taonius borealis (Nesis, 1972)". World Register of Marine Species. Flanders Marine Institute. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
3. Jereb (1) Roper (2), P. (1) C.F.E (2) (2010). "Cephalopods of the World: An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Cephalopod Species Known to Date" (PDF). FAO Fish Finder. 2 (4): 160 – via World Register of Marine Species.
4. Jorgensen, Elaina (2009). Field Guide to Squids and Octopods of the Eastern North Pacific and Bering Sea. Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Sea Grant college. p. 37. ISBN   978-1-56612-139-2.
5. Evans, Aaron; Voss, Nancy; Braid, Heather; Kubodera, Tsunemi; Bolstad, Kathrin (2025-12-02). "Diversity of the 'eerie' glass squid genus Taonius Steenstrup, 1861 (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) in the Pacific Ocean". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 52 (5): 461–496. doi:10.1080/03014223.2024.2416207. ISSN   0301-4223.