Taonius belone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Taonius belone |
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Taonius belone is a type of glass squid. It belongs to a group of squids called Taonius within the Cranchiidae family. You can find this squid in the warm, tropical parts of the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.
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About the Taonius Belone Squid
Taonius belone is a very large glass squid. It can grow up to 66 centimeters (about 26 inches) long. Its body, called the mantle, feels a bit like leather.
Arms and Suckers
This squid has short arms. These arms have thin membranes that get wider near the body. These membranes connect to form a kind of umbrella inside.
Each arm has two rows of suckers. These suckers are closer together near the arm tips. There are at least 21 pairs of suckers on each arm. The biggest suckers are usually around the 8th pair.
The largest suckers have 20 to 30 teeth. These teeth are wide and close together. They cover the whole edge of the sucker ring. Smaller suckers near the tips have only 6 to 8 teeth. Suckers closer to the body have teeth that are joined together. They feel smooth, except for a few wavy parts.
Tentacles and Body
The squid's tentacular club is at the end of its tentacles. The two largest suckers on the club are in the middle rows. These suckers have one or two large, hook-like teeth. Other large suckers in the middle rows have two big hook-like teeth. They also have 4 to 5 smaller teeth.
The suckers on the sides of the club are flat. Each of these suckers has two long, curved teeth. They also have pointed teeth on their side edges.
The tentacle stalk has two rows of special suckers. These help the squid hold things. The squid's skin on its mantle is smooth. There are no bumps where the mantle meets the funnel.
Taonius belone has long, pointed fins. These fins are about 44% of the mantle's length. They are far apart at the front. A hard, clear internal shell, called a gladius, sticks out from between the back of the fins. This forms a tail.
Where Taonius Belone Lives
Taonius belone was first found in the Indian Ocean. Since then, it has been seen in many places. These include southern Japan, the Philippine Islands, and the Hawaiian Islands. It is also found across the central parts of the Pacific Ocean.
This squid lives in warm, tropical, and subtropical waters. It is found in both the Indo-Pacific region. However, scientists have not recorded it very often.
Habitat and Life Cycle
Taonius belone is a large squid that lives in the open ocean. It is a pelagic animal, meaning it lives in the water column. It is also called mesopelagic, which means it lives in the middle depths of the ocean.
Life Stages
When Taonius belone is very young, it is called a paralarvae. These tiny squids float in the water like plankton. Their eyes are flat and on stalks. They live in the upper 400 meters (about 1,300 feet) of the ocean.
As they grow into larger juveniles, they move deeper. They are found between 500 and 700 meters (about 1,600 to 2,300 feet) deep. When they become subadults, their eyes change. They become round and no longer have stalks. These older squids live even deeper, below 700 meters (about 2,300 feet). This shows that Taonius belone moves deeper into the ocean as it gets older.
How Taonius Belone is Classified
Taonius belone was first described as a subspecies of another squid. It was called T. borealis and then T. b. borealis. There was another subspecies called T. b. pacifica.
Both of these squids were once thought to be part of a different group called Belonella. However, scientists now know that Belonella is the same as Taonius. So, the name Belonella is no longer used.
Today, Taonius belone and T. borealis are considered sister species. This means they are very closely related. T. belone lives in the tropical Indo-Pacific. T. borealis lives in the North Pacific.
