Helicocranchia is a genus of small glass squids from the family Cranchiidae, known as piglet squid. They are characterized by possessing a very large funnel and in having a pair of small paddle-like fins which are attached to a part of the gladius which sits above the muscular mantle. These squid undergo a slow descent starting near the surface as paralarvae moving down to lower mesopelagic depths as near-adults.[2]

Helicocranchia
Helicocranchia pfefferi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Oegopsida
Family: Cranchiidae
Subfamily: Taoniinae
Genus: Helicocranchia
Massy, 1907[1]
Type species
Helicocranchia pfefferi
Massy, 1907
Species

see text

Synonyms

Ascocranchia Voss, 1962

The genus contains bioluminescent species.[3]

Species

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There are three species of Helicocranchia:[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Julian Finn (2016). "Helicocranchia Massy, 1907". World Register of Marine Species. Flanders Marine Institute. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  2. ^ Richard E. Young; Katharina M. Mangold (1922-2003) (2017). "Helicocranchia Massy, 1907". The Tree of Life Web Project. Retrieved 1 March 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Herring, Peter J. (1987). "Systematic distribution of bioluminescence in living organisms". Journal of Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence. 1 (3): 147–163. doi:10.1002/bio.1170010303. PMID 3503524.
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