Loliginidae
Loliginidae is a family of marine cephalopod mollusks in the order Myopsida, commonly known as pencil squids or inshore squids. Members are typically small to medium-sized squids with elongated mantles, paired fins along the posterior mantle, eight arms, and two longer feeding tentacles with a club and suckers. Like other squids, they have a beak, a color-changing skin, an ink sac, and an internal supportive shell called a gladius (pen). In males, a specialized arm called the hectocotylus transfers spermatophores to the female during mating.
Loliginidae species inhabit coastal and shelf waters worldwide, from temperate to tropical regions. They are primarily
Reproduction and development: females lay gelatinous egg capsules that attach to substrates such as seagrasses, algae,
Ecology and economic importance: loliginids serve as important predators and prey in coastal ecosystems. They support
Taxonomy: the family includes several genera, such as Loligo, Doryteuthis, and Lolliguncula, among others. Ongoing taxonomic