Systematic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Teuthoidea
Family: Loliginidae
Genus: Loligo
Species: Loligo edulis
(Hoyle, 1885)
Common name: Trawl Softfish
Chinese name: ©ì¾{³½

 
Characteristic Features

Slender-bodied squids with rhombic fins. Arms rather short in th order 3.4.2.1. Large suckers on third arms have 8-10 long, square-tipped teeth on distal margin of the horny ring; proximal margin uneven and sometimes has rudimentary teeth. The tentacular club suckers are much larger on the hand; the suckers of the median rows are one and a half times larger in diameter than the laterals and have 10 strong conical teeth evenly spaced about the ring interspaced with 2-3 minute conical teeth. Colour: Colourless translucent, bright red or any intermediate shade, according to the degree of expansion of the chromatophores.

Habitat

Widespread between 30 and 170 m contours, small numbers in shallow water during April - November.
Size

Maximum mantal length 300 mm, weight 0.5 kg.
Distribution

Japan, China, Philippines, Hong Kong.
Commercial
fishery		 Loligo edulis and L. formosana together are by far the most commercially important cephalopds around Hong Kong.