download pdf

482 American Seashells
Total length, including tentacular arms, i to 2 feet. Easily recognized
by the accompanying illustration which shows the rather long, triangular fins.
The proportion of fin-length to mantle-length varies from i to 1.8 and down
to a ratio of i to 1.5. Adult males have the left ventral arm conspicuously
hectocotylized (see fig. 99a). A very abundant species caught commercially
for fish bait in New England. Living specimens are very beautifully speckled
with red, purplish and pink.
Loligo opalescens Berry Common Pacific Squid
Puget Sound, Washington, to San Diego, California.
Total length, not including tentacles, 6 to 8 inches. This is the common
squid of the Pacific Coast and can be readily recognized by the accompany-
ing illustration. At certain seasons, they occur in great schools by the thou-
sands.
Genus Lolliguncula Steenstrup
Lolliguncula brevis Blainville Brief Squid
Delaware Bay to Florida and to Brazil.
Figure 99g
Total length, including the tentacular arms, 5 to 10 inches. Charac-
terized by its short, rounded fins, very short upper arms, and large color
spots. Underside of fins white. Consult the figure. Common in warm wa-
ters. This is L. brevipinna Lesueur and L. hemiptera Howell.
Genus Sepioteuthis Blainville 1824
Similar to Loligo, but with large, triangular fins that extend along the
entire length of the mantle, thus giving the animal an oval outline. Siphonal
funnel attached to the head by muscular bands. There is a strong wrinkle
behind the eye.
Sepioteuthis sepioidea Blainville Atlantic Oval Squid
Bermuda, Florida and the West Indies.
Total length, including tentacular arms, 4 to 5 inches. Characterized by
the long fins which commence a short distance behind the mantle edge i}A
to % inch). Internal pen thin, lanceolate and without any marginal thick-
enings. Skin regularly and closely spotted with purple dots. The eggs are
large, 5 to 8 mm. in diameter, and laid in long jelly tubes. A rather common,
warm-water species.