482 American Seashells 



Total length, including tentacular arms, i to 2 feet. Easily recognized 

 by the accompanying illustration which shows the rather long, triangular fins. 

 The proportion of fin-length to mantle-length varies from i to 1.8 and down 

 to a ratio of i to 1.5. Adult males have the left ventral arm conspicuously 

 hectocotylized (see fig. 99a). A very abundant species caught commercially 

 for fish bait in New England. Living specimens are very beautifully speckled 

 with red, purplish and pink. 



Loligo opalescens Berry Common Pacific Squid 



Puget Sound, Washington, to San Diego, California. 



Total length, not including tentacles, 6 to 8 inches. This is the common 

 squid of the Pacific Coast and can be readily recognized by the accompany- 

 ing illustration. At certain seasons, they occur in great schools by the thou- 

 sands. 



Genus Lolliguncula Steenstrup 



Lolliguncula brevis Blainville Brief Squid 



Figure 99g 



Delaware Bay to Florida and to Brazil. 



Total length, including the tentacular arms, 5 to 10 inches. Charac- 

 terized by its short, rounded fins, very short upper arms, and large color 

 spots. Underside of fins white. Consult the figure. Common in warm wa- 

 ters. This is L. brevipinna Lesueur and L. hemiptera Howell. 



Genus Sepioteuthis Blainville 1824 



Similar to Loligo, but with large, triangular fins that extend along the 

 entire length of the mantle, thus giving the animal an oval outline. Siphonal 

 funnel attached to the head by muscular bands. There is a strong wrinkle 

 behind the eye. 



Sepioteuthis sepioidea Blainville Atlantic Oval Squid 



Bermuda, Florida and the West Indies. 



Total length, including tentacular arms, 4 to 5 inches. Characterized by 

 the long fins which commence a short distance behind the mantle edge i}A 

 to % inch). Internal pen thin, lanceolate and without any marginal thick- 

 enings. Skin regularly and closely spotted with purple dots. The eggs are 

 large, 5 to 8 mm. in diameter, and laid in long jelly tubes. A rather common, 

 warm-water species. 



