Octopoteuthis deletron
{{Short description|Species of squid}}
{{Speciesbox
| status = DD
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| taxon = Octopoteuthis deletron
| authority = Young, 1972{{cite web | url = http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=342057 | title = Octopoteuthis deletron Young, 1972 | access-date = 10 March 2018 | publisher = Flanders Marine Institute | year = 2016 | author = Julian Finn | work = World Register of Marine Species}}
}}
Octopoteuthis deletron is a species of squid in the genus Octopoteuthis of the family Octopoteuthidae. They belong to the pelagic squids of order Oegopsida. Found at depths of {{convert|400|to|800|m|abbr=on}} in the Pacific Ocean, they have been known to grow to {{convert|24|cm|abbr=on}}.
Biology
=Trophic ecology=
This species is described as an inactive predator, having a lower metabolism and relying on ambush,{{cite journal |last1=Goetsch |first1=Chandra |last2=Conners |first2=Melinda G. |last3=Budge |first3=Suzanne M. |last4=Mitani |first4=Yoko |last5=Walker |first5=William A. |last6=Bromaghin |first6=Jeffrey F. |last7=Simmons |first7=Samantha E. |last8=Reichmuth |first8=Colleen |last9=Costa |first9=Daniel P. |title=Energy-Rich Mesopelagic Fishes Revealed as a Critical Prey Resource for a Deep-Diving Predator Using Quantitative Fatty Acid Signature Analysis |journal= Frontiers in Marine Science|date=20 November 2018 |volume=5 |page=430 |doi=10.3389/fmars.2018.00430 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2018FrMaS...5..430G }}{{cite book |author1=Henk-Jan T. Hoving|author2=Jose Angel A. Perez|author3=Kathrin S.R. Bolstad|author4=Heather E. Braid|author5=Aaron B. Evans|author6=Dirk Fuchs|author7=Heather Judkins|author8=Jesse T. Kelly|author9=José E.A.R. Marian|author10=Ryuta Nakajima|author11=Uwe Piatkowski|author12=Amanda Reid|author13=Michael Vecchione|author14=José C.C. Xavier|title=Chapter Three - The Study of Deep-Sea Cephalopods, in Advances in Cephalopod Science: Biology, Ecology, Cultivation and Fisheries |date=2014 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=9780128002872 |pages=235–359 |edition=Volume 67 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128002872000032 |access-date=11 April 2025}} though members of this genus are higher in trophic level than glass squids and active hunters like Todaropsis eblanae.{{Cite journal |last1=Kremer |first1=Kira Izabela |last2=Hagen |first2=Wilhelm |last3=Oesterwind |first3=Daniel |last4=Duncan |first4=Sabrina |last5=Bode-Dalby |first5=Maya |last6=Dorschner |first6=Sabrina |last7=Dudeck |first7=Tim |last8=Sell |first8=Anne F. |date=2025-01-28 |title=Trophic ecology of squids in the Benguela Upwelling System elucidated by combining stomach content, stable isotope and fatty acid analyses |journal=Marine Biology |language=en |volume=172 |issue=2 |pages=32 |doi=10.1007/s00227-024-04592-2 |issn=1432-1793|doi-access=free }}
O. deletron has been found to break off its arms as a defense strategy. The squid digs hooks in one of its arms into a predator and jets away, leaving the arm in the predator's skin.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2012/08/video-this-deep-sea-squid-breaks-off-its-own-arms-to-confuse-predators/ |title=This Deep-Sea Squid Breaks Off Its Own Arms to Confuse Predators |publisher=Smithsonian.com |last=Stromberg |first=Michael |at=With video |access-date=August 4, 2012}}
O. deletron are the most common species found in the stomachs of northern elephant seals sampled off the coast of California.{{cite book |title=Elephant Seals: Population ecology, behavior, and physiology |last=Le Beouf |first=Burney J. |author2=Richard M. Laws |year=1994 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-08364-6 |pages=213–214 }} It is an important prey item of the giant grenadier.{{cite journal |last1=Drazen |first1=Jeffrey C |last2=Buckley |first2=Troy W |last3=Hoff |first3=Gerald R |year=2001 |title=The feeding habits of slope dwelling macrourid fishes in the eastern North Pacific |journal=Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers |volume=48 |issue=3 |pages=909–935 |doi=10.1016/S0967-0637(00)00058-3 |bibcode=2001DSRI...48..909D }} It is also eaten by the enigmatic Perrin's beaked whale (Mesoplodon perrini).
Reproduction
The male O. deletron has a penis, which is unusual among squids. Males find it difficult to detect the sex of other individuals they encounter in the dark depths, so they have adopted a strategy of attaching sperm packets to all individuals they meet.{{Citation | last=Gorman| first=James | title=Amorous Squid Seeks Partner: Any Sex Will Do | newspaper=The New York Times | publication-place=New York | date=21 September 2011 | page=A1 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/science/21squid.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha23 }} This behavior has earned it the moniker of "bisexual squid".{{cite web |last1=Watson |first1=Traci |title=Squid Males "Bisexual"—Evolved Shot-in-the-Dark Mating Strategy |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/110920-squid-mating-oceans-weird-science-animals |website=nationalgeographic.com |publisher=National Geographic |access-date=11 April 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Morelle |first1=Rebecca |title=Light shed on bisexual and promiscuous deep-sea squid |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-14986769 |website=bbc.com |date=21 September 2011 |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=11 April 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Pappas |first1=Stephanie |title=Bisexual squid species isn't picky about mate |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44602856 |website=nbcnews.com |date=21 September 2011 |publisher=NBCUniversal Media |access-date=11 April 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|id=-SxLl6Sj6s0&feature=player_embedded|title=Squid attacks and breaks off two arms}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1223166}}
Category:Cephalopods of Oceania
Category:Molluscs of the Pacific Ocean
Category:Cephalopods described in 1972
{{Squid-stub}}