''Bathyteuthis'' is the singular 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 fitting t ...

in the family Bathyteuthidae, encompassing three species. ''Bathyteuthis'' species are found scattered throughout the world’s oceans at mesopelagic to

bathypelagic The bathypelagic zone or bathyal zone (from Greek βαθύς (bathýs), deep) is the part of the open ocean that extends from a depth of below the ocean surface. It lies between the mesopelagic above, and the abyssopelagic below. The bathypelagic ...

depths, commonly between 700 and 2,000 meters. They are found in deep-sea territories and can be spotted on the coast of New England. The genus contains bioluminescent species.

Description

''Bathyteuthis'' are deep reddish maroon in colour and small in size, with none exceeding 80 mm in

mantle A mantle is a piece of clothing, a type of cloak. Several other meanings are derived from that. Mantle may refer to: *Mantle (clothing), a cloak-like garment worn mainly by women as fashionable outerwear **Mantle (vesture), an Eastern Orthodox ve ...

length. The arms on ''Bathyteuthis'' are short, joined by a low, fleshy web, with suckers arranged in irregular rows (two proximally increasing to four distally). Tentacular clubs are short and narrow, with 8-10 longitudinal series of numerous, minute suckers. Buccal connectives have small suckers attached to the dorsal border of the ventral arms (arms IV). Fins are small, round and separate. The head has eyes turned slightly to the front. Suckers lack circularis muscles. Females have paired oviducts.

Reproduction

While the reproduction of many deep-sea squids is poorly known, one ''Bathyteuthis'' species, ''B. berryi'', is known to brood its eggs after spawning. It lays relatively few eggs but these eggs are large, protected from predators and parasites, and develop and hatch at a depth decided by the parent.

Taxonomy

''Bathyteuthis'' shares some characters with oegopsid squid and others with the Myopsida, hence its placement in a separate suborder, the Bathyteuthoidea, by some authorities. The paired oviducts (in females) and suckers without circularis muscles are characteristic of ordinary Oegopsida. However, buccal connective tissue with suckers and tentacle pockets in the head are characters found in myopsid squid, but absent in the Oegopsida.

Species

*'' Bathyteuthis abyssicola'', deepsea squid *'' Bathyteuthis bacidifera'' *'' Bathyteuthis berryi''

References

* tp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/ac479e/AC479E26.pdf FAO Bathyteuthidae

External links

Squid Bioluminescent molluscs Taxa named by William Evans Hoyle {{squid-stub