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Glass Squid. Kevin Burgee. Teuthowenia pellucida. Phylum: Mollusca Class: Cephalopoda Order: Teuthida Family: Cranchiidae Contains about 60 species of squid also known as cockatoo squid, cranchiid , cranch squid, or bathyscaphoid squid.
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Glass Squid Kevin Burgee
Teuthoweniapellucida • Phylum: Mollusca • Class: Cephalopoda • Order: Teuthida • Family: Cranchiidae • Contains about 60 species of squid • also known as cockatoo squid, cranchiid, cranch squid, or bathyscaphoid squid
occur in surface and midwater depths of open oceans around the world • Usually around 7500 ft • Juvenile glass squid are found closer to the surface
Bioluminescence • Some species have bio-luminescent light under the eyes to help cancel out there shadow for camouflage • The light tips, photophores, also help in finding a mate • The use of bioluminescence requires ATP
Characteristics • Eye morphology varies widely, ranging from large and circular to telescopic and stalked • Often the only visible organ is the digestive gland which is the equivalent to a liver in mammals • Have a large chamber filled with ammonia to help with buoyancy • Body size can vary from 3.9 inches to over 6 feet
Has eight short tentacles with a slightly longer pair at the end of its body • As a defense, the squid is able to engorge itself with surrounding water to dramatically increase in size, appearing more intimidating • Has the ability to use jet propulsion to escape predators • They spend most of their lives in partially lit water where their transparency helps avoid detection
Females • Females are slightly larger than males • Eggs are laid in clusters, attached to rocks and plants on the sea floor • Pregnant glass squid carry about 6,000 to 8,000 eggs at a time
Facts • series of small, glandular organs lie dorsal to the gladius at the anterior end of the mantle. The chambers of each organ open to the exterior. The function of these organs is to secrete pheromones to attract males • In some cases, cannibalism has occurred during mating • Tentacles are long in larvae, rather than short in adults
The deep sea glass squid prey on many deep sea fish • Ex. the goblin shark • Glass squid that are closer to the surface eat sea birds that land on the water
Cranchiascabrais a species of glass squid • Its body is covered with cartilaginous spikes. When threatened it withdraws its arms and head into the mantle and swell up into a giant spiky ball • In addition, it may ink into its mantle to make it no longer transparent