Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Museums

Regional Maps

Order SEPIOLIDA


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - C.C. Lu, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan

Introduction

The Sepiolida is very diverse, and comprises the pelagic Heteroteuthis (Family Sepiolidae, Subfamily Heteroteuthinae), the benthic dumpling squid or the bob-tailed squid of Rossia and Euprymna (Family Sepiolidae, Subfamilies Rossinae and Sepiolinae) and the pygmy squid of Idiosepius (Family Idiosepiidae).

 

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

 

Diagnosis

Mantle oval with posterior end widely rounded or elongate with posterior end slightly narrowed and bluntly pointed. Ten appendages present: 4 pairs of arms and one pair of tentacles. Tentacular stalks retractile, but not retracted into special pockets at bases of tentacles. Suckers stalked, with chitinous ring usually having the edge denticulate; ring never modified into a hook. Arms connected by webs and in some, web between 3rd and 4th arms envelops tentacle bases on outside only, without forming sac. Fins always present, variable; oval or kidney-shaped, located in middle or somewhat posterior of middle of mantle or near posterior end, not joined posteriorly. Anterior edge of mantle may or may not be fused with head dorsally. Nuchal, mantle, and funnel cartilages usually present except where mantle and head fused dorsally. Funnel cartilages simple; mantle edge near mantle cartilages straight, without protruding 'angles'. Shell either a thin chitinous vestige or absent altogether. Hectocotylisation variable: both dorsal arms or one ventral arm hectocotylised, sometimes lateral arm pairs also modified; in some species hectocotylisation is almost inconspicuous. Oviduct unpaired, accessory nidamental glands present. All radular teeth unicuspid or multicuspid (as in Idiosepius).

 

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)
07-Jan-2014 SEPIOLIDA 06-Jan-2014 MODIFIED Dr Julian Finn (NMV)
12-Feb-2010 (import)