Australian Biological Resources Study

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Family BATHYTEUTHIDAE Pfeffer, 1900

Deepsea Squids


Compiler and date details

2024 - Updated by A. L. Reid, CSIRO, Australia

2012 - Updated by Julian Finn, Museum Victoria, Carlton, Victoria, Australia

C.C. Lu, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan

Introduction

Members of the monogeneric family Bathyteuthidae Pfeffer, 1900 are small squid, less than 75 mm mantle length (ML)) with round or paddle-like subterminal fins. They are rarely caught, except in Antarctic waters.

Bathyteuthis was first recorded from eastern Australian waters by Lu & Phillips (1985). Worldwide six species are known (WoRMs, 2024) and one species has been recorded from Australian waters (Lu & Phillips 1985). Because so few specimens have been collected so far, no studies of life span or growth of Bathyteuthis have been undertaken in Australian waters or elsewhere and neither its diet nor predators are known.

Bathyteuthids are not vertical migrators and most specimens have been caught between 1000 and 2500 m (Roper & Young 1975). Small adult size and rarity preclude this family from commercial fisheries interest.

 

Diagnosis

Bathyteuthids have a simple, straight funnel locking cartilage and arm suckers in irregular rows. The tentacular club is small with numerous rows of minute suckers and the buccal connectives attach dorsally to the ventral arms. A single light organ is embedded at the base of each of the dorsal, dorso-lateral and lateral arms.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
05-Jun-2024 CEPHALOPODA Cuvier, 1795 04-Apr-2024 MODIFIED Dr Mandy Reid
20-Mar-2014 TEUTHIDA 20-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Julian Finn (NMV)
12-Feb-2010 (import)