''Chtenopteryx'' is a genus of small, muscular, midwater
squid
True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fitting t ...
in the
monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...
family Chtenopterygidae. Four species are presently recognized in the genus, but more are believed to exist.
These squid occupy
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
to
subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...
waters, probably at depths of between 500 and 1,000 m during the day and near-surface waters at night.
The genus contains bioluminescent species.
Species
* ''
Chtenopteryx canariensis''
Salcedo-Vargas & Guerrero-Kommritz, 2000
* ''
Chtenopteryx chuni''
* Pfeffer, 1912
* ''
Chtenopteryx sepioloides''
Rancurel, 1970
* ''
Chtenopteryx sicula''
(Vérany, 1851), comb-finned squid or toothed-fin squid
The species listed above with an asterisk (
*) is questionable and needs further study to determine if it is a valid species or a synonym.
References
External links
Tree of Life web project: ''Chtenopteryx''
Squid
Bioluminescent molluscs
Taxa named by Adolf Appellöf
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