glass squid
DESCRIPTION
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. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Glass SquidKevin 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
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
Cranchia scabra is 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