Other identification tools | SeaLifeBase

Non-fish Identification: Find Species

Family: Ommastrephidae flying squids and arrow squids (See list of species below)

Select Ocean (marine/brackish) or Continent (freshwater):

Select Country (optional):


Total number of spines in dorsal and anal fins (optional)



11 species in Pacific, Southwest with fin ray counts including ? spines in dorsal and ? in anal fins (see list below)


Eucleoteuthis luminosa
[Luminous flying squid]


Hyaloteuthis pelagica
[Glassy flying squid]
No picture found

Martialia hyadesi
[Sevenstar flying squid]


Nototodarus gouldi
[Gould's flying squid]


Nototodarus sloanii
[Wellington flying squid]


Ommastrephes bartramii
[Neon flying squid]


Ornithoteuthis volatilis
[Shiny bird squid]


Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis
[Purpleback flying squid]


Todarodes angolensis
[Angolan flying squid]
No picture found

Todarodes filippovae
[Antarctic flying squid]


Todaropsis eblanae
[Lesser flying squid]
11 Species of Family Ommastrephidae
(flying squids and arrow squids)
Sort by: Species Length
Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
Eucleoteuthis luminosa Luminous flying squid Circumglobal in tropical 180 ML
Hyaloteuthis pelagica Glassy flying squid Indo-Pacific and Atlantic 10.5 ML
Martialia hyadesi Sevenstar flying squid Southern Ocean. 40 ML
Nototodarus gouldi Gould's flying squid Indo-West Pacific 40 ML
Nototodarus sloanii Wellington flying squid Southwest Pacific 42 ML
Ommastrephes bartramii Neon flying squid Circumglobal in subtropic 90 ML
Ornithoteuthis volatilis Shiny bird squid Indo-West Pacific 31 ML
Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis Purpleback flying squid Indo-Pacific. Tropical t 65 ML
Todarodes angolensis Angolan flying squid Southwest Pacific and Eas 43.3 ML
Todarodes filippovae Antarctic flying squid Circumpolar in Southern O 55.5 ML
Todaropsis eblanae Lesser flying squid Atlantic Ocean, the Medit 29 ML



Other identification tools in SeaLifeBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
Identification by morphometrics
Identification by pictures:
          If you already know the Family, go to Search SeaLifeBase, select Family and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in SeaLifeBase for the family.

          If you already know the Country, go to
Search SeaLifeBase, select Country and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in SeaLifeBase for the country.

          If you already know the Ecosystem, go to
Search SeaLifeBase, select Ecosystem and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in SeaLifeBase for the ecosystem.