Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Cephalopoda | Oegopsida | Cranchiidae | Taoniinae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Pelagic; depth range ? - 1981 m (Ref. 2987), usually 200 - 600 m (Ref. 275). Polar; 33°S - 78°S, 180°W - 180°E (Ref. 275)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans: circumpolar, south of Antarctic Convergence, occasionally north in cold waters off South Africa.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 100 - ? cm Max length : 420 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 99323); max. published weight: 495.0 kg (Ref. 99323)

Passive swimmer. Feeds on mesopelagic fishes (Myctophidae, Paralepididae), squids (Ref. 275).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Members of the class Cephalopoda are gonochoric. Male and female adults usually die shortly after spawning and brooding, respectively. Mating behavior: Males perform various displays to attract potential females for copulation. During copulation, male grasp the female and inserts the hectocotylus into the female's mantle cavity where fertilization usually occurs. Life cycle: Embryos hatch into planktonic stage and live for some time before they grow larger and take up a benthic existence as adults.

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Roper, C.F.E., M.J. Sweeney and C.E. Nauen. 1984. (Ref. 275)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 02 May 2010

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Human uses

Fisheries: of potential interest
| FishSource |

Tools

E-book | Field guide

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items

Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance

References
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Robson, 1925