WoRMS taxon details

Architeuthidae Pfeffer, 1900

153040  (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:153040)

accepted
Family

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  1. Genus Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857
  2. Genus Dinoteuthis More, 1875 accepted as Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857 (synonym)
  3. Genus Dubioteuthis Joubin, 1900 accepted as Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857 (synonym)
  4. Genus Megaloteuthis Kent, 1874 accepted as Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857 (synonym)
  5. Genus Megateuthus Hilgendorf, 1880 accepted as Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857 (synonym)
  6. Genus Mouchezis Vélain, 1877 accepted as Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857 (synonym)
  7. Genus Plectoteuthis Owen, 1881 accepted as Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857 (synonym)
  8. Genus Steenstrupia T. W. Kirk, 1882 accepted as Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857 (unaccepted > junior homonym, Invalid: junior homonym of Steenstrupia Forbes, 1846 [Cnidaria])
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
Pfeffer, G. (1900). Synopsis der oegopsiden Cephalopoden. <em>Mitteilungen aus dem Naturhistorischen in Hamburg.</em> 17: 145-198., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10282260
page(s): 173 [details]   
Taxonomy Despite its charismatic appeal to both scientists and the general public, remarkably little is known about the giant squid...  
Taxonomy Despite its charismatic appeal to both scientists and the general public, remarkably little is known about the giant squid Architeuthis, one of the largest of the invertebrates. Although specimens of Architeuthis are becoming more readily available owing to the advancement of deep-sea fishing techniques, considerable controversy exists with regard to topics as varied as their taxonomy, biology and even behaviour. In this study, we have characterized the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) diversity of 43 Architeuthis samples collected from across the range of the species, in order to use genetic information to provide new and otherwise difficult to obtain insights into the life of this animal. The results show no detectable phylogenetic structure at the mitochondrial level and, furthermore, that the level of nucleotide diversity is exceptionally low. These observations are consistent with the hypotheses that there is only one global species of giant squid, Architeuthis dux (Steenstrup, 1857), and that it is highly vagile, possibly dispersing through both a drifting paralarval stage and migration of larger individuals. Demographic history analyses of the genetic data suggest that there has been a recent population expansion or selective sweep, which may explain the low level of genetic diversity.(Winkelmann et al. 2013) [details]

Description The family includes the largest of all cephalopods. Specimens occasionally are found moribund at the surface of the ocean,...  
Description The family includes the largest of all cephalopods. Specimens occasionally are found moribund at the surface of the ocean, but most records are from strandings or whale stomachs. Apparently world-wide in distribution.

Many species have been named in the sole genus of the family, Architeuthis, but they are so inadequately described and poorly understood that the systematics of the group is thoroughly confused. Total lengths of nearly 20 m and mantle lengths of nearly 6 m (not a complete specimen) have been recorded.

Juveniles of species have been reported from both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The Architeuthidae is characterised by a tetraserial armature on the tentacular clubs with large suckers in the medial rows of the manus and small suckers in the marginal rows; a distinct cluster of numerous small suckers and knobs at the proximal end of the manus; two longitudinal rows of alternating suckers and pads on the tentacular stalks; a straight simple funnel locking-cartilage; buccal connectives that attach to the dorsal border of arms IV; absence of photophores. [details]
MolluscaBase eds. (2024). MolluscaBase. Architeuthidae Pfeffer, 1900. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=153040 on 2024-03-19
Date
action
by
2005-04-14 07:47:17Z
created
2011-10-21 21:13:36Z
checked
2016-06-05 01:28:00Z
changed
2020-08-18 05:11:08Z
changed
2021-10-14 17:40:37Z
changed

Creative Commons License The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License


original description Pfeffer, G. (1900). Synopsis der oegopsiden Cephalopoden. <em>Mitteilungen aus dem Naturhistorischen in Hamburg.</em> 17: 145-198., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10282260
page(s): 173 [details]   

taxonomy source Winkelmann I., Campos P.F., Strugnell J., Cherel Y., Smith P.J., Kubodera T., Allcock L., Kampmann M.-L., Schroeder H., Guerra A., Norman M., Finn J., Ingrao D., Clarke M. & Gilbert T.P. (2013) Mitochondrial genome diversity and population structure of the giant squid <i>Architeuthis</i>: genetics sheds new light on one of the most enigmatic marine species. <i>Proceedings of the Royal Society, B</i> 280: 20130273., available online at https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.0273 [details]  Available for editors  PDF available [request] 

basis of record Fernández-Álvarez, F. Á.; Taite, M.; Vecchione, M.; Villanueva, R.; Allcock, A. L. (2021). A phylogenomic look into the systematics of oceanic squids (order Oegopsida). <em>Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.</em> , available online at https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab069 [details]   

additional source Roper, C.F.E. & Jereb, P. (2010). Family Architeuthidae. <i>In</i> P. Jereb & C.F.E. Roper, eds. <i>Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of species known to date. Volume 2. Myopsid and Oegopsid Squids</i>. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 4, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. <em>pp. 121-123.</em> , available online at http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/i1920e/i1920e.pdf [details]   

identification resource Lu, C.C. & Chung, W.S. (2017). <em>Guide to the cephalopods of Taiwan</em>. National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan, 560 pp. ISBN 978-986-05-2569-4.
page(s): 330 [details]   
From editor or global species database
Taxonomy Despite its charismatic appeal to both scientists and the general public, remarkably little is known about the giant squid Architeuthis, one of the largest of the invertebrates. Although specimens of Architeuthis are becoming more readily available owing to the advancement of deep-sea fishing techniques, considerable controversy exists with regard to topics as varied as their taxonomy, biology and even behaviour. In this study, we have characterized the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) diversity of 43 Architeuthis samples collected from across the range of the species, in order to use genetic information to provide new and otherwise difficult to obtain insights into the life of this animal. The results show no detectable phylogenetic structure at the mitochondrial level and, furthermore, that the level of nucleotide diversity is exceptionally low. These observations are consistent with the hypotheses that there is only one global species of giant squid, Architeuthis dux (Steenstrup, 1857), and that it is highly vagile, possibly dispersing through both a drifting paralarval stage and migration of larger individuals. Demographic history analyses of the genetic data suggest that there has been a recent population expansion or selective sweep, which may explain the low level of genetic diversity.(Winkelmann et al. 2013) [details]

From other sources
Description The family includes the largest of all cephalopods. Specimens occasionally are found moribund at the surface of the ocean, but most records are from strandings or whale stomachs. Apparently world-wide in distribution.

Many species have been named in the sole genus of the family, Architeuthis, but they are so inadequately described and poorly understood that the systematics of the group is thoroughly confused. Total lengths of nearly 20 m and mantle lengths of nearly 6 m (not a complete specimen) have been recorded.

Juveniles of species have been reported from both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The Architeuthidae is characterised by a tetraserial armature on the tentacular clubs with large suckers in the medial rows of the manus and small suckers in the marginal rows; a distinct cluster of numerous small suckers and knobs at the proximal end of the manus; two longitudinal rows of alternating suckers and pads on the tentacular stalks; a straight simple funnel locking-cartilage; buccal connectives that attach to the dorsal border of arms IV; absence of photophores. [details]
LanguageName 
Chinese Dà-Wàng-Yóu-Kē  [details]
English giant squids  [details]
German Riesenkalmare  [details]
Japanese ダイオウイカ科  [details]