Diamondback Squid [Thysanoteuthis rhombus]
Description
The Diamondback Squid is a large species that can reach up to 100 cm in mantle length. This squid is named for the distinctive diamond-shaped fin that covers almost the entire mantle. It is a pelagic species, typically found in the open ocean, often near the surface. The species is known for its rapid growth rate, short lifespan (approximately one year), and for being highly fecund, with females capable of producing hundreds of thousands of eggs. They have a worldwide distribution, predominantly in tropical and subtropical waters, and are known to perform daily vertical migrations, staying deep during the day and coming near the surface at night to feed.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Mollusks
Mollusca
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Squids, Octopuses, and Cuttlefish
Cephalopoda
|
| Order |
Squids
Teuthida
|
| Family |
Thysanoteuthids
Thysanoteuthidae
|
| Genus |
Diamondback Squid
Thysanoteuthis
|