Metasepia

Metasepia pfefferi

Metasepia is a genus of small squid. The two species of this genus live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are characterized by a small, thick, diamond-shaped cuttlebone.

Description

The animals are relatively small and only reach a mantle length of about 6-7 cm and a weight of 30 to 40 g They are short and stocky with a rounded to oval coat. The dorsal arm pair ( pair of arms I) is clearly shorter than the other pair of arms. The suction cups are placed on the eight normal arms in four longitudinal rows on the tentacles can be present per transverse row up to six cups. The cuttlebone is rounded diamond-shaped in outline. In Metasepia pfefferi the rear end is stripped pointed. He is relatively thick and considerably shorter than the jacket. He sits in the front 2/3 up front half of the shell. The upper front edge of the mantle is without tongue- like extension. The coat has on the back and above the eyes extensions. Both species have spectacular color patterns that they can change at fault very quickly.

Reproduction

The animals lay eggs in the gaps and crevices between coral and rock pieces into shallower water. The juveniles then migrate mostly in somewhat greater depth on muddy and sandy bottoms from soft, then as adults return to their spawning areas.

Occurrence

The two species of the genus live on sandy and muddy bottoms in soft 3 to 100 m depth. They have also been observed on rocky ground between sea pens colonies. M. pfefferi comes on the north coast of Australia prior to the south coast of New Guinea. On the west coast of Australia, the incidence ranges to about 33 ° south latitude, on the east coast to about 27 ° south latitude. M. tullbergi comes from southern Japan, Korea, on the east coast of China, Vietnam to North Sumatra, North Borneo and the Philippine islands before.

Species

• Metasepia pfefferi ( Hoyle, 1885)
• Metasepia tullbergi ( Appellof, 1886)

Commercial importance

Both species are caught commercially not because they are too small and do not appear en masse. However, M. tullbergi occasionally occurs as a by-catch.