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484 American Seash ells
Total length, including tentacular arms, 12 to 18 inches. A common
squid characterized hj the small opening to the eyes and the small, narrow
sinus or notch in front of the eyes, and by the proportion of fin-length to
mantle-length which is roughly i to 3. The sides of the head, back of the
eyes, have a rather prominent, transverse ridge, back of which the head sud-
denly narrows to the neck. Under surface of head with a deep, smoothish
excavation to receive the dorsal half of the siphonal tube. In males, either
the left or right ventral arm is hectocotylized. A very common species used
for fish bait. It may be seen in large schools near shore, especially in summer
in New England.
Genus Sthenoteuthis Verrill 1880
Very similar to Illex in almost every way, but the sucker-bearing area
includes less than one half the total length of the tentacular arms. The larger
suckers on the tentacular club are strongly toothed, with an additional large
tooth in each of the four quadrants.
Sthenoteuthis bartrami Lesueur Flying Squid
Worldwide.
2 to 3 feet in total length, resembling the common Illex, but more slen-
der, with shorter fins, and with 4, not 8, rows of tiny suckers on the end of
the 2 long tentacular arms. Preserved specimens show a distinct dark, purplebrown
dorsal stripe. In hfe, the colors are very brilliant and are continually
changing. Along the middle dorsal line there is a broad violet stripe with a
stripe of reddish yellow on each side of it. Body elsewhere bluish; fins rosy.
Skin covered with small, red-violet chromatophore dots. On the eyes there
are two elongated spots of brilliant blue, and below a bright spot of red.
Color of ink reported to be a coffee-and-milk color. A common ocean-going
species which swims with great speed, and not infrequently jumps out of
water and lands on the decks of ships. Like most squid, it is attracted by
artificial light.
Order OCTOPODA
The octopods have only 8 arms and are without the 2 long tentacular
arms that are characteristic of the squid. The suckers on the arms are with-
out stalks and are not equipped with horny rings. No internal pen or shell.
This order includes the many forms of Octopus and the Paper Nautilus,
Argonauta. The female Argonauta secretes a shell to hold her eggs.