Kingdom Animalia Subclass Coleoidea Suborder Oegopsina Scientific name Kondakovia longimana Rank Species | Phylum Mollusca Order Teuthida Family Onychoteuthidae Higher classification Kondakovia | |
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Similar Squid, Cephalopod, Hooked squid, Gonatus antarcticus, Psychroteuthis glacialis | ||
Kondakovia longimana, also known as the giant warty squid or longarm octopus squid, is a large species of hooked squid. It attains a mantle length of at least 85 cm and probably over 1.15 m. The largest complete specimen of this species, measuring 2.3 m in total length, was found in Antarctica in 2000. Sleeper sharks and porbeagles are among sharks known to prey upon K. longimana, accounting for 21% and 19% of the cephalopod biomass consumed by each shark, respectively.
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Description
K. longimana is characterised by the presence of 33 hooks and marginal suckers throughout the tentacular club during subadult years. The gladius of this species is not visible beneath the skin in the dorsal midline. K. longimana possesses three occipital folds.
Distribution
K. longimana occurs in epipelagic and mesopelagic waters of the Southern Ocean. Its range may be circumpolar and stretch as far north as South Georgia and the Tasman Sea.
The type material of this species, consisting of three specimens caught at the surface and a depth of 50 m, was collected just north of the South Orkney Islands and is deposited at the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University.