Bioluminescent molluscs

species of mollusc

species of mollusc

Spirula spirula is a species of deep-water squid-like cephalopod mollusk. It is the only extant member of the genus Spirula, the family Spirulidae, and the order Spirulida. Because of the shape of its internal shell, it is commonly known as the '''ram's horn squid or the little post horn squid. Because the live animal has a light-emitting organ, it is also sometimes known as the tail-light squid'''.

species of mollusc

species of mollusc

thumb|Beak of Histioteuthis bonnellii

species of mollusc

species of mollusc

Onychoteuthis is a genus of squid in the family Onychoteuthidae. The type species is Onychoteuthis bergii. While the genus is found worldwide in tropical and subtropical oceans, they can also occur in the North Pacific Ocean. There were previously considered to be four species in the genus but there are now considered to be roughly 10. These squid are frequently observed in the surface waters at night and they are often caught using dipnet at nightlight stations. The young squid are usually the only specimens captured using standard midwater trawls, the older squid are apparently able to avoid

thumb|Abralia astrosticta

species of mollusc

family of molluscs

Mastigoteuthis is a genus of whip-lash squid containing at least seven valid species. Some teuthologists consider Idioteuthis synonymous with this taxon.

Chiroteuthis is a genus of chiroteuthid squid, comprising two subgenera. The hectocotylus is absent from all members of the genus; instead, a penis extending from the mantle opening is utilised. The genus is characterised by enlarged, lidded photophores present at the end of the tentacular club. Arms IV are both the longest and thickest, their membranes acting as sheaths to the retractable tentacles.

Teuthowenia is a genus of glass squid in the subfamily Taoniinae. Members of this genus are characterized by their deep-sea habitat, clear bodies, and ability to engorge themselves with water to become larger when threatened. Each known species has a visible digestive gland, which serves a similar purpose as a stomach and liver.

species of mollusc

Octopoteuthis is a genus of squid, one of the two referred to as octopus squid (family Octopoteuthidae), the other being Taningia, its sister genus. Both Octopoteuthis and Taningia are characterized by their lack of tentacles for the majority of their life cycle, which led to their common name.

species of mollusc

Latia is a genus of very small, air-breathing freshwater snails or limpets, aquatic pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Chilinoidea.

Lampadioteuthis megaleia is a small, colorful squid, the only species in the only genus in the monotypic family Lampadioteuthidae. It is sometimes known as the wonderful firefly squid. It was formerly classified in the family Lycoteuthidae, but differs from them mainly by having a hectocotylus in the males and by the possession of a rostrum on the gladius.

Helicocranchia is a genus of small glass squids from the family Cranchiidae, known as piglet squid. They are characterized by possessing a very large funnel and in having a pair of small paddle-like fins which are attached to a part of the gladius which sits above the muscular mantle. These squid undergo a slow descent starting near the surface as paralarvae moving down to lower mesopelagic depths as near-adults.

species of mollusc

Abraliopsis is a marine genus of squid (family Enoploteuthidae) of the phylum Mollusca. Not much is known about Abraliopsis due to the evading ability of pelagic cephalopods. Features that distinguish these species include the absence of arm suckers, size and number of hooks on arms, the presence of photophores, and the formation and position of chromatophores. 11 species that make up the Enoploteuthidae family.

Gonatus is a genus of squid in the family Gonatidae, comprising twelve species, and therefore containing the most species in the family. Adult squid belonging to species in this genus are notable for their lack of tentacles.

Brachioteuthis is a genus of squid comprising six species which are circumglobally distributed. Members of this genus have a generally small (6-14 cm) mantle length.

Bathyteuthis is the singular genus of squid in the family Bathyteuthidae, encompassing six species.

Chtenopteryx is a genus of small, muscular, midwater squid in the monotypic family Chtenopterygidae. Four species are presently recognized in the genus, but more are believed to exist.

Liguriella is a genus of glass squids, the genus is probably monotypic, the only species being Liguriella podophthalma. The other named species Liguriella pardus, which was described by S. Stillman Berry in 1916, is cited as a taxon inquirendum but it is suggested that there may be in fact more than one species and there are species yet to be described.

species of mollusc

species of mollusc

Kaloplocamus is a genus of sea slugs, specifically nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod molluscs in the family Polyceridae.

Galiteuthis is a genus of glass squids from the family Cranchiidae and the subfamily Taoniinae. Squids in the genus Galiteuthis are large squids with mantle lengths measuring up to , although it has been suggested that mantle length could reach as much as . The most distinctive feature of the species in this genus are they have hooks on the tentacular clubs while there are no hooks on the arms, and by their long, thin, terminal fins.

Taningia is a genus of squid, one of the two referred to as octopus squid (family Octopoteuthidae), the other being Octopoteuthis, its sister genus. Both Octopoteuthis and Taningia are characterized by their lack of tentacles for the majority of their life cycle, which led to their common name.

Planaxis is a genus of small sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Planaxidae.

species of mollusc

Inioteuthis is a genus of bobtail squid comprising two species.

Ornithoteuthis is a small genus of squid, with two species, from the family Ommastrephidae, the "flying squids", the two species in this genus are known as "bird squids". They are relatively small squid, with mantle lengths of around , highly agile and rather uncommon. Their characteristics that distinguish then from other members of the subfamily Ommastrephinae are that their mantle and fins are drawn out into a narrow tail and that they have a luminous stripe along their midline on the viscera.

species of mollusc

Pterygioteuthis is a genus of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. Members are differentiated from the genus Pyroteuthis due to size and head shape. The genus is characterised by the presence of a lidded photophore over each eye.

Liocranchia is a genus of glass squid from the family Cranchiidae. They are moderate-sized with a long, spindle-shaped mantle which tapers to a point at the rear and they can attain mantle lengths of . The species in Liocranchia have a cosmopolitan distribution in tropical and subtropical oceans although it has been suggested that one species, Liocranchia reinhardti is associated with land masses. In seas off Hawaii waters, L. reinhardti undergoes vertical migrations while L. valdiviae occurs in deep water and is sedentary. They are eaten by many oceanic predator species.

Taonius is a small genus of glass squid. Although it comprises only three recognised species, it has been suggested there may be as many as five species. Taonius borealis is found in the North Pacific Ocean and Taonius pavo is found in the Atlantic and possibly the south-western Indian Ocean.

Megalocranchia is a genus of glass squids. It occurs circumglobally in tropical and subtropical waters.

Leachia is a genus containing eight species of glass squids. The genus was formerly divided into two subgenera: Leachia and Pyrgopsis, but is no longer.

Cycloteuthis is a genus of squid in the family Cycloteuthidae. It is distinguished from the genus Discoteuthis by the presence of a tail on the mantle. The species C. akimushkini is currently considered a junior synonym of C. sirventi, however this is inconclusive and the World Register of Marine Species has C. akimushkini as a valid species.

Enoploteuthis is a genus of squid in the family Enoploteuthidae, being the type genus. Enoploteuthis is a genus with a relatively high number of species, most of which were described in the late 20th and early 21st century. They have been collected during exploratory trawling in the mesopelagic zone. They are an important food source for fishes and toothed whales but they are of little commercial value, except for Enoploteuthis chunii which is caught as bycatch in the Japanese fishery for Watasenia scintillans. Many species are diel migrants, spending the day at depth and moving up the water c

species of mollusc

Bolitaena is a genus of pelagic octopods from the subfamily Bolitaeninae in the family Amphitretidae. It contains two species, a third species Bolitaena microcotyla is now regarded as a synonym of Haliphron atlanticus.

Stoloteuthis is a small genus of bobtail squid in the family Sepiolidae and the subfamily Heteroteuthidinae with one species, Stoloteuthis leucoptera, which is found in the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Antarctic Ocean and the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The other species, Stoloteuthis japonica. was described in 2011 from a type specimen collected off northeastern Honshu.

Gastrochaena is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Gastrochaenidae. The type species of this genus is Gastrochaena cuneiformis.

Sepiolina is a small genus of bobtail squid in the family Sepiolidae and the subfamily Heteroteuthidinae from the western Pacific Ocean.

Plocamopherus is a genus of sea slugs, specifically nudibranchs, shell-less marine gastropod molluscs in the family Polyceridae, subfamily Triophinae. A unique character of Plocamopherus species is a globular bioluminescent organ at the tip of the pair of appendages which are placed just behind the gills. Many species are known to be nocturnal and several are from deep water. They feed on bryozoans.

species of mollusc

Japetella is a genus of pelagic octopods from the subfamily Bolitaeninae in the family Amphitretidae. It contains at least one species but another two have been questionably raised with Japetella heathi being of doubtful validity, although currently accepted and Japetella taningi being classed as a nomen dubium.

Ancistrocheirus lesueurii, the sharpear enope squid, is the only species in the genus Ancistrocheirus and family Ancistrocheiridae. With a mantle length of , this moderately sized squid may be found throughout the tropical and subtropical oceans. They tend to be found at mesopelagic depths ( down).

Grimalditeuthis bonplandi is a squid named after the Grimaldi family, reigning house of Monaco. Prince Albert I of Monaco was an amateur teuthologist who pioneered the study of deep sea squids by collecting the 'precious regurgitations' of sperm whales. The specific name bonplandi refers to the French scientist Aimé Bonpland.

species of mollusc

Discoteuthis is a genus of squid in the family Cycloteuthidae. It is distinguished from the genus Cycloteuthis by the absence of a tail on the mantle. The genus occurs in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.

Pyroteuthis is a genus of squid in the family Pyroteuthidae. It is differentiated from the genus Pterygioteuthis by size, head shape and behaviour. Species within the genus are separated by the arrangement of tentacular photophores; the shape of the hectocotylus, and the shape of the hectocotylus hooks. With the exception of the Tropical Eastern Pacific, the genus is circumpolar in tropical and temperate oceans. The species P. addolux is the only member to occur in the North Pacific.