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Image of Megalocranchia fisheri (Berry 1909)
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Large Cranch Squid

Megalocranchia Pfeffer 1884

Megalocranchia

provided by wikipedia EN

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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Megalocranchia: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

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

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cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
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wikipedia EN