The common squid is a weird and wonderful predator found all around our coasts.
About
The
common squid, or European squid, is found all around our coasts down to
around 500m deep. They have a long slender body, with 2 fins at the
opposite end to the head and arms. They are pale white in colour with
reddish-brown mottling on their back. Common squid have 2 long tentacles
which are used to catch their prey: small fish, crabs and shrimp. Males
have an adapted arm called a hectocotylus which he used to pass
spermatophores (a sperm capsule) to the female. She then lays up to
20,000 eggs in gelatinous white tubes (each containing many tens of
eggs), attaching them to solid objects beneath the sea.How to identify
A
medium sized squid with a long, cylindrical body covered with
reddish-brown markings. They have 8 arms on the head as well as 2 long
tentacles used for catching prey.Distribution
Found around all UK coasts.Did you know?
Squid eggs often wash up on shore after spring storms - look out for a mass of long white gelatinous eggs on the beach.
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