Comb-finned squid

Chtenopteryx sicula

Cephalopods
IUCN: Data deficient

Usual depth50–900 m
Water temperature10–29 °C
Best monthsApril and June
How commonRare

About this species

Chtenopteryx sicula, also known as the comb-finned squid or toothed-fin squid, is a species of squid native to at least the Mediterranean Sea. It is characterised by several distinct morphological features: ocular photophores are present but visceral photophores are absent, arm suckers are arranged in at least 4 series distally, and club suckers are borne in more than 8 series.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Chtenopteryx sicula”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 9 records
February: 23 records
March: 32 records
April: 45 records
May: 33 records
June: 58 records
July: 23 records
August: 33 records
September: 29 records
October: 8 records
November: 14 records
December: 7 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 50–900 m · Deepest record: 3,417.5 m

0–10 m: 1 records
10–20 m: 2 records
20–30 m: 4 records
30–40 m: 2 records
40–50 m: 6 records
50–60 m: 17 records
60–70 m: 6 records
70–80 m: 17 records
80–90 m: 7 records
90–100 m: 11 records
100–110 m: 26 records
110+ m: 157 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 10–29 °C

10–12 °C: 3 records
12–14 °C: 8 records
14–16 °C: 5 records
16–18 °C: 32 records
18–20 °C: 54 records
20–22 °C: 66 records
22–24 °C: 104 records
24–26 °C: 32 records
26–28 °C: 32 records
28–30 °C: 10 records

Names and classification

English: Comb-finned squid, Toothed-fin squid, Tooth-finned squid, toothed-fin squid

Names in 2 more languages

Japanese: ヒレギレイカ
Simplified Chinese: 櫛鰭烏賊, 櫛鰭魷

Other scientific names: Calliteuthis nevroptera, Chtenopteryx fimbriatus, Chtenopteryx siculus, Ctenopteryx cyprinoides, Ctenopteryx sicula, Sepioteuthis sicula

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
420 open-data records from 1955 to 2015.
Species data updated November 1, 2026.

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