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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