Megalocranchia

Megalocranchia
Megalocranchia fisheri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Oegopsida
Family: Cranchiidae
Subfamily: Taoniinae
Genus: Megalocranchia
Pfeffer, 1884[1]
Type species
Megalocranchia maxima
Pfeffer, 1884
Species

Megalocranchia sp. A
Megalocranchia abyssicola
Megalocranchia fisheri
Megalocranchia maxima
Megalocranchia oceanica

Megalocranchia is a genus of glass squids. It occurs circumglobally in tropical and subtropical waters.[2]

Description

Some members of the genus Megalocranchia can reach large sizes, up to 1800mm in the case of M. fisheri. Young paralarvae often resemble other members of the Cranchiidae, having transparent bodies to aid in camouflage. Where the internal organs cannot be made transparent, for example in the digestive system, visceral photophores can be found. These visceral photophores are unique to this genus within the family. The paralarvae also have a thick gelatinous dermis covering the mantle, which again is unique to the Megalocranchia within the family. This dermis also features patches of orange chromatophores in juvenile individuals.

References

  1. ^ Julian Finn (2016). "Megalocranchia Pfeffer, 1884". World Register of Marine Species. Flanders Marine Institute. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  2. ^ Voss N. A., S. J. Stephen & Zh. Dong 1992. Family Cranchiidae Prosch, 1849. Smithson. Contributions Zool. 513: 187-210.


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