Animal Species:Squid
The elongated, streamlined body of the squid enables it to move quickly through the water. Often occurring in schools, it swims by flapping its fins or by jet propulsion using its siphon.
Squid Loligo
Dr Isobel Bennett
© Australian Museum
Identification
Like cuttlefishes, the squid has 10 tentacles. Two longer feeding tentacles, covered with four rows of suckers, are curled up underneath them and these can quickly uncoil to grab prey. The skeleton or 'pen' is composed of chitin and looks like clear plastic.
Size range
25 cm
Distribution
Squid are found in southern Australian waters.
Habitat
Squid live in intertidal estuaries, coastal waters and oceans.
Other behaviours and adaptations
If threatened or disturbed, the squid can change colour and expel a blob of purple ink, which acts as a decoy while the animal quickly escapes.
Classification
- Genus:
- Loligo
- Family:
- Loliginidae
- Order:
- Teuthida
- Class:
- Cephalopoda
- Phylum:
- Mollusca
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
Last Updated:
Tags cephalopods, molluscs, invertebrates, identification, wildlife of sydney,
Hi Parviz,
The image you have sent in is of a Cuttlefish, Sepia sp.