National Resource Center for Cephalopods

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General Species Information

Laboratory Cultured Species

Sepioteuthis lessoniana Ferussac, 1830. Bigfin Reef Squid or Oval Squid

    The NRCC cultures the bigfin reef squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana through its entire life cycle and makes all developmental stages available for a broad range of biomedical research. All life stages are laboratory adapted and tolerant of handling and shipping. Squids cultured at the NRCC have been used in a variety of physiological, pharmaceutical and behavioral studies. They are available year-round at the NRCC for visiting scientists, or can be shipped to laboratories throughout the U.S.    

    Sepioteuthis lessoniana occurs in shallow coastal waters throughout the temperate to tropical Indo-Pacific region. This species is more adaptable to laboratory conditions than it's open ocean relatives Loligo pealei, Loligo forbesi and Loligo vulgaris. Cultured Sepioteuthis lessoniana typically grow to 25 cm mantle length and 500 g body weight, but specimens of 35 cm mantle length and 2 kg body weight have also been produced. The axons of Sepioteuthis lessoniana measure up to 500 mm in diameter.  Anesthesia (e.g., with ethanol or magnesium chloride) is possible and post-operative recovery is excellent.

    Sepioteuthis lessoniana  of 50 g or less can be shipped by over-night delivery. Larger squids (up to 300 g) must be shipped directly, airport-to-airport. We have assisted several laboratories in the design of simple, short-term squid holding systems. Sepioteuthis lessoniana require near oceanic salinity (32-35 ppt or 1.024 spec. gravity) and tolerate temperatures of 15°C to 27°C. Maximum laboratory life span is approximately 9 months at 24°C. Squids tolerate levels of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH similar to the levels for tropical fishes and invertebrates; they are intolerant of copper and heavy metals and may be sensitive to ozonation. Activated carbon filtration is also essential to maintain adequate water quality, and protein skimming is recommended. 

    Squids are obligate predators in nature. In the laboratory they will eat live palaeomonid and penaeid shrimps and most marine, estuarine and fresh water fishes smaller than themselves. Cannibalism can occur; therefore, if two or more squids are kept together, they should be fed two or three times a day. Specimens greater that 150 g can be conditioned to eat thawed frozen fishes that are jigged on a rod or line.

Sepia officinalis, Linnaeus, 1758, The European Cuttlefish

    The NRCC cultures the European cuttlefish Sepia officinalis on a large scale and makes all developmental stages available for a broad range of biomedical research. The animals are laboratory adapted and tolerant of handling and shipping. Cuttlefish cultured at the NRCC have been used in a variety of physiological, pharmaceutical and behavioral studies. They are available year-round at the NRCC for visiting scientists, or can be shipped to laboratories throughout the U.S.

    Sepia officinalis live in coastal waters throughout the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic from England to North Africa. All NRCC cuttlefish are laboratory grown in closed systems of recirculating seawater. Animals of all life stages (up to 1 kg) can be shipped by over-night delivery. We have assisted several laboratories in the design of simple, short-term cuttlefish holding systems. Cuttlefish prefer oceanic salinity (32-35 ppt or 1.024 specific gravity) and tolerate temperatures of 15°C to 27°C, with 21°C ideal. Their life span varies between 6 and 16 months depending on water temperature (lower temperatures increase the life span). Cuttlefish tolerate levels of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH similar to the levels for tropical fishes and invertebrates; they are intolerant of copper and heavy metals and may be sensitive to ozonation. Activated carbon filtration is also essential to maintain adequate water quality, and protein skimming is recommended. Anesthesia (e.g., with ethanol or magnesium chloride) is possible and post-operative recovery is excellent.

    When disturbed or not handled gently, cuttlefish often ink. Their ink is non-toxic to themselves or other animals. However, it can be produced in such profuse quantities that asphyxiation can occur. Therefore, it is recommended that ink be removed (e.g., via protein skimming) as soon as possible.

    Cuttlefish like to bury themselves in a substrate of sand or fine gravel; they also like to hide under overhangs or in grottos. They prefer low light levels but will adapt to almost any light levels. Because they are group cultured in high densities, several animals can be kept together, but then daily feeding is necessary.

    Cuttlefish are predators in nature and will eat any fish, shrimp or crab smaller than themselves. Unlike some octopus species, they do not eat other shelled molluscs such as mussels, clams or sea snails. Live food is recommended for optimal growth but they will readily accept thawed frozen shrimp or fish (although growth will be slower). If cuttlefish are being held together, they should be fed daily to avoid cannibalism; isolated animals can be fed every other day. Uncontrolled floating at the surface can be a sign of starvation and live food should be fed immediately.

    Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831. The Pharaoh Cuttlefish 

    The National Resource Center for Cephalopods (NRCC) has been culturing a relatively new species of cuttlefish since 1998.  Sepia pharaonis is a tropical species distributed across the Indo-Pacific Ocean, from the Red Sea to Japan and Australia.  This species has never been cultured or available for display in the United States before. Our population was established from eggs collected in the N. Gulf of Thailand and shipped to the NRCC.  Sepia pharaonis is easily maintained and well adapted to small tanks. They are a tropical species that prefers high temperatures in the range of 25°-30°C but can tolerate temperatures as low as 18°C.  They are more active than the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. This species is characterized by stunning iridescent blue bands that run along the base of the fins. They display very ornate and flamboyant color patterns that are visually stunning and startling during periods of courtship and mating.   

     Octopus bimaculoides Pickford & McConnaughey, 1949. California Mud-fat Octopus.

Octopus bimaculoides is a medium sized octopus found from central California (Santa Barbara) south to the central Baja peninsula on the Pacific coast. This species prefers sand and mud habitats generally less than 30m deep. O. bimaculoides grows to a maximum size of 800g with a lifespan of 1-1.5yrs. It produces large eggs and benthic hatchlings and is well suited to captive culture. This is a temperate to sub-tropical species preferring temperatures of 12°-25°C with 18°C being ideal for reproduction. This is an excellent laboratory species as it is not prone to crawling out of tanks provided there is sufficient food and water quality remains high. Though hatchlings and juveniles require a live food diet of small shrimps, crabs and/or fishes, juveniles and adults can be maintained on diets of frozen shrimp and fish. They will also eat many species of bivalve and gastropod molluscs of appropriate size.

Lab-cultured species available by Special Request Only

    Loligo opalescens Berry, 1911. California Market Squid or Opalescent Squid

    Euprymna scalopes Berry, 1913. The Bob-tail Squid

Field Collected Species

    Lolliguncula brevis, Blainville, 1823. Common Bay Squid or Thumbstall Squid

    The common bay squid Lolliguncula brevis is available year-round as trawl-caught juveniles and adults. This species is laboratory adapted and tolerant of handling and shipping. Lolliguncula brevis is rather unique among squids in that it can inhabit low salinity bays and estuaries along the Atlantic coast of N. America and Gulf of Mexico. Lolliguncula are more adaptable to laboratory conditions than their open ocean relatives Loligo pealei, Loligo forbesi and Loligo vulgaris. Lolliguncula brevis is smaller (~12 cm mantle length and 150 g body weight) with a correspondingly smaller axon (<200 mm). Anesthesia (e.g., with ethanol or magnesium chloride) is possible and post-operative recovery is excellent. Lolliguncula brevis of 50 g or less can be shipped by over-night delivery. If longer term survival is required we recommend using an airport-to-airport service for same day arrival.

    We have assisted several laboratories in the design of simple, short-term squid holding systems. Lolliguncula brevis prefers lower levels of salinity (20-30 ppt) and can tolerate temperatures of 10°C to 25°C. Maximum laboratory life span is approximately 6 months at 24°C. Squids tolerate levels of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH similar to the levels for tropical fishes and invertebrates; they are intolerant of copper and heavy metals and may be sensitive to ozonation. Activated carbon filtration is also essential to maintain adequate water quality, and protein skimming is recommended. 

    Loligo pealeii Lesueur, 1821. Common Squid 

    Loligo plei Blainville, 1823. Tropical Arrow Squid

    Nautilus pompilius Linnaeus, 1758. The Common Nautilus

Other Species