Metasepia
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| Metasepia | ||||||||||
| Hoyle , 1885 |
Metasepia is a genus of small squids . The two species of this genus live in the Indian and Pacific Oceans . They are characterized by a small, thick, diamond-shaped pouch .
description
The animals are relatively small and only reach a coat length of about 6 to 7 cm and a weight of 30 to 40 g. They are short and stocky with a rounded to oval coat. The dorsal arm pair (arm pair I) is significantly shorter than the other arm pairs. The suction cups are arranged on the eight normal arms in four longitudinal rows, on the tentacles there can be up to six suction cups per transverse row. The Schulp is rounded diamond-shaped in outline. In Metasepia pfefferi , the rear end is pointed. It is relatively thick and significantly shorter than the coat. It sits in the front 2/3 to front half of the coat. The front, upper edge of the mantle is without a tongue-shaped extension. The coat has extensions on the back and above the eyes. Both species have spectacular color patterns that they can change very quickly if disturbed.
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Reproduction
The animals lay the eggs in the gaps and crevices between pieces of coral and rock in shallower water. The young animals then usually migrate to a somewhat greater depth on muddy and sandy soft soils, and then return to the spawning areas as adults.
Occurrence
The two species of the genus live on sandy and muddy soft soils at a depth of 3 to 100 m. They have also been observed on rocky ground between sea feather colonies. M. pfefferi occurs on the north coast of Australia to the south coast of New Guinea. On the west coast of Australia the occurrence extends to about 33 ° south latitude, on the east coast to about 27 ° south latitude. M. tullbergi occurs from southern Japan, Korea, on the east coast of China, Vietnam to northern Sumatra, northern Borneo and the Philippine islands.
species
- Metasepia pfefferi (Hoyle, 1885)
- Metasepia tullbergi (Appellöf, 1886)
Commercial importance
Both species are not caught commercially because they are too small and not found in abundance. However, M. tullbergi occasionally occurs as by-catch.
literature
- Patrizia Jereb and Clyde FE Roper: Cephalopods of the World - An Annotated and Illustrated Catalog of Cephalopod Species Known to Date. Volume 1 Chambered Nautiluses and Sepioids (Nautilidae, Sepiidae, Sepiolidae, Sepiadariidae, Idiosepiidae and Spirulidae). FAO Species Catalog for Fishery Purposes, No. 4, 1: 1-262, Rome 2005, ISBN 9251053839
