#idiosepiidae

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

Closely related to cuttlefish, it’s no surprise that bobtail squid are masters of camouflage. These species have a special symbiotic relationship with a bioluminescent bacteria called Aliivibrio fischeri; the bacteria inhabit a special organ in the squid’s main body, and emit light to match the amount of light around it, thus hiding the squid’s silhouette. In return, bobtail squid provide their bacteria with a mixture of sugar and amino acids.

(Image: A hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) by Doug Perrine)

[todropscience]

TINY ´SQUID´ SPECIES DISCOVERED IN MUSEUM COLLECTION

First found among the collections of the Australian Museum in Sydney, a new species of pygmy squid from eastern Australia has just been described. 

Although not true 'squids', these tiny creatures coined their common name from their general squid-like appearance and tiny size. Named pygmy squid (Idiosepius hallami), and smaller than 2 cm in body length (excluding the head, arms and tentacles), these diminutive squids are the smallest cephalopods known.

They are found throughout the Indo-Pacific from Australia, through to Thailand and Japan as well as the Indian Ocean side of southern Africa, in seagrass beds and mangroves—among the most threatened ecosystems in the world. So an increased understanding of these habitats and their associated fauna is of high importance.

Photo:  Pygmy Squid (Idiosepius hallami) by B. Reid/Australian Museum.

Reference: Reid et al. 2018. A new pygmy squid, Idiosepius hallami n. sp. (Cephalopoda: Idiosepiidae) from eastern Australia and elevation of the southern endemic ‘notoides’ clade to a new genus, Xipholeptos n. gen. Zootaxa