Broadtail shortfin squid (Illex coindetii)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.Map Help

Summary

Description

A moderately long and narrow squid up to 38 cm long, with a pointed tail and large robust head.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

All British and Irish coasts.

Global distribution

Eastern Atlantic: 15 degrees south to 60 degrees north, Mediterranean and Black Sea. Western Atlantic: Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and southeast Florida; 10 degrees north to 27 degrees north.

Habitat

Associated with muddy bottoms

Depth range

30-1000m

Identifying features

  • Mantle moderately long and narrow, tail pointed and moderately drawn out.
  • Fin angle broad, fin width greater than length.
  • Head large and robust, especially in males.
  • Tentacular club with 8 longitudinal rows of small suckers.
  • Arms very long.

Additional information

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Listed by

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Further information sources

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Bibliography

  1. Boyle, P.R. & Pierce, G.J., 1994. Fishery biology of northeast Atlantic squid: an overview. Fisheries Research, 21(Special Issue), 1-15.

  2. Clarke, M. R., 1966. A review of the systematics and ecology of oceanic squids. Advanced Marine Biology, 4, 91-300.

  3. Gonzalez, A. F. & Guerra, A., 1996. Reproductive biology of the short-finned squid Illex coindetii (Cephalopoda, Ommastrephidae) of the Northeastern Atlantic. Sarsia, 81, 107-118.

  4. Howson, C.M. & Picton, B.E., 1997. The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Belfast: Ulster Museum. [Ulster Museum publication, no. 276.]

  5. ICES, 1994. Report of the study group on the life history assessment of Cephalopods. Copenhagen-Denmark ICES, K:7, 32.

  6. Roper, C. F. E., Lu, C. C. & Vecchione, M., 1998. A revision of the systematics and distribution of Illex species (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae). In Systematics and Biogeography of Cephalopods, vol. 2, (ed. N.A. Voss, M. Vecchione, R.B. Toll & M.J. Sweeney), Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 586, pp405-423. Smithsonian Institution Press.

  7. Roper, C.F.E., Sweeney, M.J. & Nauen, C.E., 1984. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 3. Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of species of interest to fisheries. FAO Fisheries Synopsis, 125, 3, 277. Avaliable: http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/ac479e/ac479e00.htm

Datasets

  1. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org.

  2. OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System),  2025. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2025-05-25

Citation

This review can be cited as:

Wilson, E. 2006. Illex coindetii Broadtail shortfin squid. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 25-05-2025]. Available from: https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1114

Last Updated: 06/11/2006