''Teuthowenia'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
glass squid in the subfamily
Taoniinae
Taoniinae is a subfamily containing ten genera of glass squids.
Description
Unlike Cranchiinae , the other subfamily within Cranchiidae , Taoniinae all lack cartilaginous strips which extend back from the funnel-mantle point of fusion. Their ...
. Members of this genus are characterized by their
deep-sea habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
, clear bodies, and ability to engorge themselves with
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
to become larger when threatened. Each known
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
has a visible
digestive gland
The hepatopancreas, digestive gland or midgut gland is an organ of the digestive tract of arthropods and molluscs. It provides the functions which in mammals are provided separately by the liver and pancreas, including the production of digestive e ...
, which serves a similar purpose as a
stomach and
liver
The liver is a major Organ (anatomy), organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the Protein biosynthesis, synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for ...
.
The genus contains bioluminescent species.
It includes three species:
*''
Teuthowenia maculata''
(Leach, 1817) - found in the tropical waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
*''
Teuthowenia megalops''
(Prosch, 1849) - found in the subarctic, temperate, and (rarely) subtropical waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean.
*''
Teuthowenia pellucida''
(Chun, 1910) - found throughout the oceans of the southern hemisphere.
References
External links
Tree of Life web project: ''Teuthowenia''
Squid
Bioluminescent molluscs
Taxa named by Carl Chun
{{Squid-stub