European squid

Mollusc

Identification & Biology

• IdentificationA torpedo-shaped cephalopod with a long, slender body, two triangular fins at the tail end, eight short arms, and two longer tentacles. Colour ranges from translucent to mottled brown and red, changing rapidly. Large, expressive eyes.
• SizeMantle length up to 50 cm. Total length including tentacles up to 80 cm.
• Social HabitOften found in schools, sometimes in large numbers. Active swimmers that patrol mid-water, using jet propulsion to move. Communicates through colour changes.
• HabitatOpen water (pelagic) over sandy bottoms, seagrass meadows, and near rocky reefs. Approaches the coast to breed in shallow water.
• Depth0 to 500 m. Most common between 20 and 250 m.
• Feeds OnSmall fish, other squid, crabs, and shrimps. A fast, agile predator that catches prey with its two long tentacles.
• DistributionEastern Atlantic from the North Sea to West Africa, and throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Common in Maltese waters.
• DescriptionLoligo vulgaris is the most commercially important squid species in the Mediterranean. Divers encounter them in mid-water, often hovering in loose schools that shimmer with rapid colour changes. During breeding season, they come into shallow water to lay finger-like egg clusters on rocky surfaces and seagrass. The species is heavily fished and is a staple of Mediterranean seafood cuisine.