Southern bobtail squid
This article is about an undescribed species of squid. It is not to be confused with Euprymna tasmanica, also commonly known as "southern bobtail squid".
| Southern bobtail squid | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Cephalopoda |
| Order: | Sepiolida |
| Family: | Sepiolidae |
| Genus: | Sepiola |
| Species: | Not yet named |
The southern bobtail squid has not yet been formally named and little is known of its exact biology and distribution, but has been placed in the Sepiola genus. It has been collected in reef areas along most of the Australian south coast. The squid uses bioluminescent bacteria situated in a special circular light organ in the mantle cavity to conceal itself from predators. The organ produces the same amount of light as the mantle blocks thus canceling the squid's silhouette from below.
Southern bobtail squid grow to 20mm in length. They have small rounded fins on the sides of their mantle. They have two rows of suckers on each arm. Both the arms and mantle are covered in large dark brown spots (chromatophores).
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