Helicocranchia pfefferi

Helicocranchia pfefferi, the banded piglet squid, is a small squid of the genus Helicocranchia. Adults of this species are mesopelaegic.

Banded piglet squid
Ventral view of a specimen taken off Southern California (41 mm ML)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Oegopsida
Family: Cranchiidae
Subfamily: Taoniinae
Genus: Helicocranchia
Species:
H. pfefferi
Binomial name
Helicocranchia pfefferi
Massy, 1907[2]
Synonyms

Helicocranchia beebei Robson, 1948

Physical characteristics

The average size of adult H. pfefferi is 100 mm (3.9 in) in mantle length (ML). The body consists of a large funnel with small paddle-like fins. They have small tentacles above their eyes. The funnel does not have valves, but contains a dorsal pad with three papillae as organs. Paddle-shaped fins are attached to a part of the gladius. H. pfefferi has a single ocular photophore and does not have photophores at its arm tips.

Habitat

As paralarvae (<30 mm ML), they live near the surface of the oceans, between 100 m and 200 m deep. They descend to the mesopelagic zone as they mature, but exhibit a diel vertical migration pattern.[3]

References
  1. Barratt, I.; Allcock, L. (2014). "Helicocranchia pfefferi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T162906A951921. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T162906A951921.en. Downloaded on 01 March 2018.
  2. Julian Finn (2016). "Helicocranchia pfefferi Massy, 1907". World Register of Marine Species. Flanders Marine Institute. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  3. Lu, C.C. & M.R. Clarke (1975). "Vertical Distribution of Cephalopods at 11° N 20° W in the North Atlantic". Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 55 (2): 369–389. doi:10.1017/S0025315400016003.

Prey

Its diet resembles that of most squid: fish, shrimp, and squid.

  • Young, R.E. & K.M. Mangold (1922-2003). 2006. Helicocranchia Massy, 1907. Version 16 July 2006 (under construction). In: The Tree of Life Web Project.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.