''Sepioteuthis australis'', commonly known as the southern calamari
[ or the southern reef squid,][ is a species of reef squid that is native to oceans off the coast of Australia and New Zealand. This species is caught commercially by trawling, as bycatch in the prawn fishing industry and by recreational anglers.
]
Description
The maximum length of this squid is about , with a maximum weight of around .[ The mantle is robust and tapers bluntly to a point. The eight arms have three rings of suckers with up to thirty hooks, and the two tentacles have long clubs with moderate-sized suckers and further hooks around the suckers. The diamond-shaped fins, which extend for almost the whole length of the mantle are widest in the middle, and are more than half as wide as they are long. The colour of this squid in life is semi-transparent, but if caught and removed from the sea, it will soon change to a uniform orangish-brown or rust colour. The base of the fin has a white or bluish luminescent streak.]
Distribution and habitat
The southern reef squid is native to the subtropical Indo-Pacific region where it is found between 16°S and 42°S, and between 112°E and 179°E. It is a benthopelagic
The demersal zone is the part of the sea or ocean (or deep lake) consisting of the part of the water column near to (and significantly affected by) the seabed and the benthos. The demersal zone is just above the benthic zone and forms a layer of ...
species with a depth range between .Ningaloo Coast
The Ningaloo Coast is a World Heritage Site located in the north west coastal region of Western Australia. The heritage-listed area is located approximately north of Perth, along the East Indian Ocean. The distinctive Ningaloo Reef that fring ...
in Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
along the south coast as far as Tasmania
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, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
and the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...
, as well as around North Island in New Zealand. Typical habitats include sandy areas, seagrass
Seagrasses are the only flowering plants which grow in marine environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae and Cymodoceaceae), all in the or ...
beds and reefs.[
]
Ecology
This squid is mainly nocturnal and often forms small groups. It feeds on crustaceans and small fish and is itself preyed on by larger fish. If attacked, it can emit a cloud of purple ink and escape while the water is opaque.[
It is a common species and is of interest to fisheries over much of its range. It is caught commercially by ]trawling
Trawling is a method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the water behind one or more boats. The net used for trawling is called a trawl. This principle requires netting bags which are towed through water to catch different spec ...
, and is also taken as bycatch in the prawn fishing industry and by recreational anglers using trolled jigs over seagrass meadow
A seagrass meadow or seagrass bed is an underwater ecosystem formed by seagrasses. Seagrasses are marine (saltwater) plants found in shallow coastal waters and in the brackish waters of estuaries. Seagrasses are flowering plants with stems and ...
s.[
Breeding takes place at different times of year in different parts of the range; there is typically an annual cycle, with the lifespan being about a year. Courtship occurs with males displaying to females, and males are antagonistic towards other males at this time. While a male is jostling and trying to drive off an interloper, "sneaker" males often get a chance to approach the female and copulate by depositing a spermatophore in her mantle cavity. When the female spawns, the egg strand most commonly contains eggs fertilized by three different males.][ Each strand typically consists of six to nine eggs and is attached to seaweed or seagrass fronds. Sometimes aggregations of hundreds of eggs occur with many females spawning at one site.][
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2683313
Squid
Cephalopods described in 1832