Bathyteuthis

Bathyteuthis
Bathyteuthis abyssicola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Family:	Bathyteuthidae Pfeffer, 1900
Genus:	Bathyteuthis Hoyle, 1885[1]
Type species
Bathytellina abyssicola (, 1958)
Species
See text

Bathyteuthis is the singular genus of squid in the family Bathyteuthidae, encompassing three species. None has a mantle length greater than 80 mm.

Bathyteuthis species are found scattered throughout the world’s oceans at mesopelagic to bathypelagic depths, commonly between 700 and 2,000 meters. They are found in deep-sea territories and can be spotted on the coast of New England. ^[2]

The genus contains bioluminescent species.^[3]

Description[]

The arms on Bathyteuthis are short, joined by a low, fleshy web, with suckers arranged in irregular rows (two proximally increasing to four distally). Tentacular clubs are short and narrow, with 8-10 longitudinal series of numerous, minute suckers. Buccal connectives have small suckers attached to the dorsal border of the ventral arms (arms IV). Fins are small, round and separate. The head has tentacle pockets and the eyes are turned slightly to the front. Females have paired oviducts. Suckers lack circularis muscles.

Taxonomy[]

Eye of Bathyteuthis sp.

Bathyteuthis shares some characters with oegopsid squid and others with the Myopsida, hence its placement in a separate suborder, the Bathyteuthoidea, by some authorities.^[4] The paired oviducts (in females) and suckers without circularis muscles are characteristic of ordinary Oegopsida. However, buccal connective tissue with suckers and tentacle pockets in the head are characters found in myopsid squid, but absent in the Oegopsida.

Species[]

• Bathyteuthis abyssicola, deepsea squid

References[]

• FAO Bathyteuthidae^{[permanent dead link]}

External links[]

• CephBase: Bathyteuthis

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