Pyroteuthidae (the fire squids) is a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
of
squids. The family comprises two
genera. Species are
diurnally mesopelagic
The mesopelagic zone (Greek μέσον, middle), also known as the middle pelagic or twilight zone, is the part of the pelagic zone that lies between the photic epipelagic and the aphotic bathypelagic zones. It is defined by light, and begins at ...
, migrating into surface waters during the night. The family is characterised by the
tentacle
In zoology, a tentacle is a flexible, mobile, and elongated organ present in some species of animals, most of them invertebrates. In animal anatomy, tentacles usually occur in one or more pairs. Anatomically, the tentacles of animals work ma ...
s, which have a permanent constriction and bend near the base; and
photophore
A photophore is a glandular organ that appears as luminous spots on various marine animals, including fish and cephalopods. The organ can be simple, or as complex as the human eye; equipped with lenses, shutters, color filters and reflectors, ...
s occurring on the tentacles, eyeballs, and
viscera
In biology, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in a structural unit to serve a common function. In the hierarchy of life, an organ lies between tissue and an organ system. Tissues are formed from same type cells to act together in a f ...
. Members reach
mantle lengths of 23–50 mm. Paralarvae of the family are common around the
Hawaiian Islands, with up to 17% of collected specimens in the area belonging to Pyroteuthidae.
[John R. Bower, Michael P. Seki, Richard E. Young, Keith A. Bigelow, Jed Hirota, Pierre Flament]
Cephalopod paralarvae assemblages in Hawaiian Islands waters
14 November 2008.
Species
*Genus ''
Pterygioteuthis''
**''
Pterygioteuthis gemmata''
**''
Pterygioteuthis giardi'', roundear enope squid
**''
Pterygioteuthis hoylei''
**''
Pterygioteuthis microlampas''
*Genus ''
Pyroteuthis''
**''
Pyroteuthis addolux''
**''
Pyroteuthis margaritifera'', jewel enope squid
**''
Pyroteuthis serrata''
References
External links
Tree of Life web project: ''Pyroteuthidae''
Enoploteuthoidea
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