Pyroteuthidae (the fire squids) is a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

squid A squid (: squid) is a mollusc with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight cephalopod limb, arms, and two tentacles in the orders Myopsida, Oegopsida, and Bathyteuthida (though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also ...

s. The family comprises two

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

. Species are diurnally

mesopelagic The mesopelagic zone (Greek language, 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 ...

, 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 main ...

s, which have a permanent constriction and bend near the base; and

photophore A photophore is a specialized anatomical structure found in a variety of organisms that emits light through the process of boluminescence. This light may be produced endogenously by the organism itself (symbiotic) or generated through a mut ...

s occurring on the tentacles, eyeballs, and

viscera In a multicellular organism, 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 a ...

. Members reach mantle lengths of 23–50 mm. Paralarvae of the family are common around the

Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...

, 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'' is a genus of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. Members are differentiated from the genus ''Pyroteuthis'' due to size and head shape. The genus is characterised by the presence of a lidded photophore over each eye. Reference ...

'' **''

Pterygioteuthis gemmata ''Pterygioteuthis gemmata'' is a species of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. References External linksTree of Life web project: ''Pterygioteuthis gemmata''Pterygioteuthis giardi ''Pterygioteuthis giardi'' is a species of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. It is known as the roundear enope squid. The Specific name (zoology), specific name honors the France, French Zoology, zoologist and Marine Biology, marine biologist Al ...

'', roundear enope squid **''

Pterygioteuthis hoylei ''Pterygioteuthis hoylei'' is a species of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. It is considered conspecific with ''Pterygioteuthis giardi ''Pterygioteuthis giardi'' is a species of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. It is known as the roundea ...

'' **''

Pterygioteuthis microlampas ''Pterygioteuthis microlampas'' is a species of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. They occur from northern New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the N ...

'' *Genus ''

Pyroteuthis ''Pyroteuthis'' is a genus of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. It is differentiated from the genus ''Pterygioteuthis'' by size, head shape and behaviour. Species within the genus are separated by the arrangement of tentacular photophores; the ...

'' **''

Pyroteuthis addolux ''Pyroteuthis addolux'' is a species of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. It is distinguished from other members of the genus '' Pyroteuthis'' by the shape of photophores on the tentacles and the shape of the hectocotylus. The hectocotylus is lo ...

'' **''

Pyroteuthis margaritifera ''Pyroteuthis margaritifera'', the jewel enope squid, is a species of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. This species has three large, ellipsoidal, double photophores on the tentacles, the nearest ellipsoidal photophore to the tip is near the c ...

'', jewel enope squid **''

Pyroteuthis serrata ''Pyroteuthis serrata'' is a species of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. It is found north of the tropical convergence in the waters around New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consist ...

References

External links

Tree of Life web project: ''Pyroteuthidae''
Enoploteuthoidea {{squid-stub