Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Common Squid Loligo vulgaris
A tubular body and a small, rodlike internal skeleton are characteristic features of all species of squid. They also have very large eyes relative to body size. The common squid is an inshore, commercially important species that has been harvested for centuries and is probably the best known of all cephalopods. It is a fast swimmer that actively hunts its prey, such as crustaceans and small fish. Once caught, the common squid passes the prey to its mouth, where it is dismembered by powerful, beaklike jaws.
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zoom image- Class Cephalopoda
- Length Up to 12 in (30 cm)
- Habitat 60–800 ft (20–250 m)
- Distribution Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean
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