Glass squid
Liocranchia valdiviae
The gelatinous squid ( Cranchiidae ) are a family in the order of squid with about 60 species.
Features
The trivial name of the family comes from the transparent bodies of most species forth. The body lengths of many species ranging on average from ten centimeters to two meters. Compared to its big coat the double row occupied with suckers tentacles seem rather short. The shape of the eyes varies greatly from large and round to small and telescopically.
Many species are bioluminescent and have a light organ below their eyes. With its help, they are able to compensate their shadow on the sea floor in shallow waters.
A filled with ammonia swim bladder allows them to control their buoyancy. This often only identifiable element is a cigar-shaped digestive gland in cephalopods the equivalent of the mammalian liver. Usually this is held in a vertical position to minimize its silhouette; sometimes there is additionally also a light-emitting element at the bottom.
The body shape of many species is very different in the different phases of growth and therefore complicates an unambiguous assignment.
Way of life
Many species live on the surface or in the middle depths of the open oceans. The juveniles live As with most squids many gelatinous squid species at the surface and penetrate only after some time in deeper waters before. Some species live in up to two kilometers deep. The light-filled surface water provides them with transparency protection.
For the jelly fishing squids are not important.
System
The gelatinous squid are classified into two subfamilies with a total of 15 or 16 species. The status of the genus Drechselia is still controversial and needs further investigation.
- Subfamily Cranchiinae genus Cranchia
- Genus Drechselia
- Genus Leachia
- Genus Liocranchia
- Genus Bathothauma
- Genus Belonella
- Genus Egea
- Genus Galiteuthis
- Genus Helicocranchia
- Genus Liguriella
- Genus Megalocranchia
- Genus Mesonychoteuthis
- Genus Sandalops
- Genus Taonius
- Genus Teuthowenia