| Sepiolidae (bobtail squids), subfamily: Sepiolinae |
| 3 cm ML (male/unsexed) |
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benthic; marine; depth range 0 - 1 m |
| Eastern Central Pacific: Hawaiian Islands. |
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| Adults have average mantle length of 2.5 cm. A model organism exhibiting short lifespan, rapid growth, and year-round availability (Ref. 118073). Small, benthic squid (Ref. 118073) found in shallow coastal waters (Refs. 843, 1695), living in muddy and sandy areas near seagrass meadows (Ref. 118075). Hosts a symbiotic luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri, the sole bacterium found to naturally thrive in E. scolopes light organ. This symbiont colony reaches as much as 10^9 cells, and remains remarkably monospecific (Ref. 118072). The microbial colony serves as an antipredation measure for the squid, while the microbe gets shelter and nutrition from the squid. When E. scolopes forages at night, the bacterial colony emit light which matches the intensity of the moonlight above it, thus reducing the host's silhouette, preventing it from being eaten by predators in the ocean floor below (Ref. 118071). It also uses another form of camouflage by sticking sand grains to its body (Ref. 118075). A nocturnal predator, the squid finds shelter in the sand during the day and hunts at night over shallow-water sand flats (Ref. 118073). Mainly feeds on the shrimp Palaemon debilis but also consumes small worms (Ref. 122680). |
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Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 28 March 2009 Ref. 123251)
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