Squid
Species Family Common name Catch tonnes Percent
Loligo gahi or Doryteuthis gahi Loliginidae Patagonian squid 24,976 1.1
Loligo pealei Loliginidae Longfin inshore squid 16,684 0.8
Common squid nei Loliginidae 225,958 10.3
Ommastrephes bartramii Ommastrephidae Neon flying squid 22,483 1.0
Illex argentinus Ommastrephidae Argentine shortfin squid 511,087 23.3
Dosidicus gigas Ommastrephidae Humboldt squid 406,356 18.6
Todarodes pacificus Ommastrephidae Japanese flying squid 504,438 23.0
Nototodarus sloanii Ommastrephidae Wellington flying squid 62,234 2.8
Squid nei Various 414,990 18.6
Total squid 2,189,206 100.0
Human uses -- Commercial fishing
According to the FAO , the cephalopod catch for 2002 was 3,173,272 tonnes ( 6.995867×109 lb ) . Of this , 2,189,206 tonnes , or 75.8 percent , was squid . [ 64 ] The following table lists squid species fishery catches that exceeded 10,000 tonnes ( 22,000,000 lb ) in 2002 .
Squid are cephalopods in the superorder Decapodiformes with elongated bodies, large eyes, eight arms and two tentacles. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, and a mantle. They are mainly soft-bodied, like octopuses, but have a small internal skeleton in the form of a rod-like gladius or pen, made of chitin. Squid diverged from other cephalopods during the Jurassic and occupy a similar role to teleost fish as open water predators of similar size and behaviour. They play an important role in the open water food web. The two long tentacles are used to grab prey and the eight arms to hold and control it. The beak then cuts the food into suitable size chunks for swallowing. Squid are rapid swimmers, moving by jet propulsion, and largely locate their prey by sight. They are among the most intelligent of invertebrates, with groups of Humboldt squid having been observed hunting cooperatively. They are preyed on by sharks, other fish, sea birds, seals and cetaceans, particularly sperm whales. Squid can change colour for camouflage and signalling. Some species are bioluminescent, using their light for counter-illumination camouflage, while many species can eject a cloud of ink to distract predators.