''Loligo'' is a genus of

squid True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fittin ...

and one of the most representative and widely distributed groups of myopsid squid. The genus was first described by Jean Baptiste Lamarck in 1798. However, the name had been used earlier than Lamarck (

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, 1784;

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the starting point of modern zoologi ...

) and might even have been used by Pliny. In the early 19th century, this generic name was often used as a grouping for all true squid. All three species of ''Loligo'' are caught by commercial fisheries, most abundantly by traditional trawling methods (mobile gear). In the United States of America, Longfin squid are federally regulated under the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Management Plan. ''

Loligo vulgaris The European squid or common squid (''Loligo vulgaris'') is a large squid belonging to the family Loliginidae. It occurs abundantly in coastal waters from the North Sea to at least the west coast of Africa. This species lives from sea level to ...

'' and others are noted for being attracted to lights at night; they can therefore be fished using different light-attraction methods. Commercial fishing is heavily regulated in the United States, and fishing using mobile gear is only permitted during daylight hours. However, the recreational fisherman is often found sitting by a light at the pier, happily jigging for squid with a rod and reel.

Species

The recent classification of Vecchione et al. (2005) and the

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(2010) recognises only three species within Loligo, many others having been split off in other loliginid genera. * '' Loligo forbesii'', veined squid * '' Loligo reynaudii'', Cape Hope squid or chokka * ''

'', European squid

Synapomorphies

Unlike many genera that can be described by commonalities inherited exclusively from their common ancestor, the classification of a species as being in the genus ''Loligo'' is not based on positive discrimination. The only positive distinction is not based on any form of inheritance and has to do with its Eastern Atlantic distribution. Other than this, the grounds for grouping a squid in this taxon is exclusively based on its lacking of characteristics that would put it in another taxon. Thus all squid in ''Loligo'' have rhomboidal fins as adults, elongated mantles, fins whose length exceeds their breadth, and lack

photophore A photophore is a glandular organ that appears as luminous spots on various marine animals, including fish and cephalopods. The organ can be simple, or as complex as the human eye; equipped with lenses, shutters, color filters and reflectors, ...

s, but all other squid genera do as well.

Mating

Mating in this genus is aseasonal. Such breeding is referred to as continuous breeding. ''Loligo'' squid gather near the surface of the water and males frenzy for females. Insertion of a sperm sac into the female is done with the tentacles of a male. The female then lays the fertilized eggs in roughly twenty jelly-filled sacs, each containing 200-300 eggs. Hatching occurs after three to four weeks, and complete sexual maturation takes roughly three years.

Educational uses

Squid of the genus ''Loligo'' have widely been used in first year biology laboratories. Aside from being highly affordable, preserved and readily available for purchase online, the relative size of a specimen in this genus is perfect for laboratory use. Averaging at roughly 20 to 50 cm (8 to 20 inches) in length, the squid is small enough to fit on a typical dissection tray while large enough to have very visible structures for easy identifiability.

Human consumption

Squid of genus ''Loligo'' are widely consumed by humans. In the United States, commercial fishing for squid is federally regulated and yearly quotas are set by NOAA. Even with all the squid caught and consumed by humans, it does not threaten the genus because of its members’ prolific breeding habits. ''Loligo'' squid are available for fishing all year round, within the limits of the federally set quotas, and this greatly increases their desirability for industrial fisheries. This squid, when cooked, is what is commonly called calamari.

References

# ↑ Vecchione, M., E. Shea, S. Bussarawit, F. Anderson, D. Alexeyev, C.-C. Lu, T. Okutani, M. Roeleveld, C. Chotiyaputta, C. Roper, E. Jorgensen & N. Sukramongkol. (2005). "Systematics of Indo-West Pacific loliginids." (PDF). Phuket Marine Biological Center Research Bulletin 66: 23–26. # ↑ Vecchione, M. & R.E. Young. (2010). Loliginidae Lesueur, 1821. The Tree of Life Web Project.

External links

* http://eol.org/pages/38585/overview * http://ladywildlife.com/animals/loligosquid.html * https://aqua.org/~/media/Files/Learn/Education%20Baltimore%20PDFs/Teacher%20Booklets/squid-lab-6-12.pdf * https://www.northernproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Loligo-Squid.pdf * http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/23308249.2015.1026226 {{Taxonbar, from=Q2706095 Squid Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Cephalopod genera