Bigfin reef squid
Sepioteuthis lessoniana
- Not on exhibit
- Animal type
- Octopus & kin
- Ecosystem
- Coastal waters
- Relatives
- Other squid, octopuses, cuttlefish, and the chambered nautilus. Subclass: Coleoidea, Super Order: Decapodiformes, Order: Myopsida, Family: Loliginidae
- Diet
- Crustaceans and fishes
- Range
- Indo-Pacific
- Size
- Up to 13 inches (33 cm)
Meet the bigfin reef squid
These otherworldly cephalopods use pigmented skin cells called chromatophores to change colors and patterns. Their signature “big fins” extend the length of their bodies. Unlike Monterey’s local Humboldt squid, bigfin reef squid spend most of their time near coastal rocks and reefs in the coastal waters of the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Hawaiian Islands. Despite mostly dwelling in shallow water, they’ve been spotted as deep as a few hundred feet!
Natural history
Like their squid and cuttlefish relatives, bigfin reef squid feed on fish and crustaceans. They have two tentacles to hunt and eight arms to hold captured prey as they eat. They eat with small bites since they have a relatively small beak opening. These squid grow remarkably fast, increasing their body length by as much as six percent per day!
Big reef squid use pigmented cells called chromatophores to change their skin color and pattern. Males and females use distinct patterns and colors to attract mates. Each female lays about 400 egg pods which take approximately three weeks to incubate.. A bigfin reef squid can live up to 11 months, and an adult can lay eggs for three of those months.
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Prepare to be dazzled
Bigfin reef squid dazzle would-be mates with wild colors and rhythmic gestures. Like many cephalopods, bigfin reef squid mate only once, making this the performance of a lifetime!
Seemingly from another planet, these cephalopods use pigmented skin cells, called chromatophores, to change their colors and patterns.
Provenientes de otro planeta, estos cefalópodos utilizan células de la piel pigmentadas, llamadas cromatóforos, para cambiar sus colores y patrones.
At the Aquarium
Few aquariums in the world have displayed the fascinating bigfin reef squid. When we exhibited them in 2014, we hatched them from eggs in-house using a new technique invented by our very own aquarists. Hundreds of “pods”—each holding two to six squid embryos—were suspended so our aquarists could monitor their growth from the outside. The eggs swelled within these three-inch pods for three weeks before hatching. Bigfin reef squid are barely a quarter-inch long when they hatch, but they can grow to be over a foot long.
Sometimes aquarists are more like mad scientists, inventing cool things behind the scenes out of everyday items. Our technique for growing bigfin reef squid used plastic mesh, zip ties, and even Super Glue!
Conservation
Humans catch bigfin reef squid as a source of food and bait. Overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction pose serious threats to bigfin reef squid and other cephalopods.
Squid populations may also be indicators of a warming ocean. Squid grow faster in warmer water, leading some scientists to suspect squid growth rates are directly impacted by the temperature in their environment.
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Ethereal and otherworldly
These otherworldly cephalopods use pigmented skin cells called chromatophores to change colors and patterns.
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Prepárate para ser deslumbrado
Los calamares de arrecife de aleta grande deslumbran a sus posibles parejas con colores vibrantes y gestos rítmicos. Es literalmente una actuación única en la vida, ya que, como muchos cefalópodos, los calamares de arrecife de aleta grande se aparean solo una vez.
Estos cefalópodos, que parecen de otro planeta, utilizan células de la piel pigmentadas, llamadas cromatóforos, para cambiar sus colores y patrones.
Cool facts
- Bigfin reef squid look a lot like cuttlefish due to their large fins and habit of sculling near reef structures.
- When bigfin reef squid are startled or fighting each other, they can produce ink and propel themselves backwards quickly with a jet of water.
- When we had these squid on exhibit, we used barriers called “jump guards” to stop them from hurtling out of their tanks!
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