''Taonius'' is a small

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

glass squid The family Cranchiidae comprises the approximately 60 species of glass squid, also known as cockatoo squid, bathyscaphoid squid, cranch squid, or simply cranchiids. The common name "glass squid" derives from the transparent bodies of most spe ...

. Although it comprises only three recognised species, it has been suggested there may be as many as five

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

. ''Taonius borealis'' is found in the North

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

and ''Taonius pavo'' is found in the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

and possibly the south-western

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

. Some teuthologists dispute Voss's synonymy of ''Belonella'' with ''Taonius''. The genus contains bioluminescent species.

Species

Three species are currently placed in ''Taonius'': *'' Taonius borealis'' (Nesis, 1972) *'' Taonius belone'' ( Chun, 1906) *'' Taonius pavo'' (Lesueur, 1821) Bec squid

References

External links

Tree of Life web project: ''Taonius''
Taoniinae Cephalopod genera Bioluminescent molluscs {{squid-stub