Deep Sea Squid Update!

Jesse Kelly, from ALCES Lab, Auckland University of Technology, recently reached out with the following comments on our Deep-Sea Squid report that was found at the surface in 2016. 

"I think I have an ID for you. It looks like a Pholidoteuthis adami.  They're well known from the Gulf of Mexico and their range extends south to Uruguay. Pholidoteuthis have these bumps along their skin which are clearly visible in the photo, as well have larger stocky bodies and large fins - they're a much more substantial squid than Asperoteuthis (Cycloteuthis, the other suggestion, doesn't have the skin bumps). 

Alternatively, it could be a Lepidoteuthis (also skin bumps - but the bumps are quite large - and large fins) but they are very rare squid and I'm not completely confident.

I work with Pholidoteuthis and Lepidoteuthis from other parts of the world and am describing several new species. If you have photos of any other floating squids I'd love to see them. "

In collaboration with the Belize Fisheries Department we'd like to ask fishers who might encounter dead deep sea squid to photograph the specimen and remove a small tissue about the size of an ice cube that can be shared with scientists studying deep sea squid.  The tissue sample can be stored in a Ziplock or other container on ice and brought in, or stored in either 70%+ rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol / isopropanol) or ethanol / ethyl alcohol.

Have any anecdotal pictures or reports of deep sea squid?  Please share them by submitting on Oceans 365 Rare.

P. adami courtesy Tree of Life Web Project

Lepidoteuthis grimaldii, or the scaled squid, courtesy Tree of Life Web Project