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Kochi, Nov 21 (IANS) In a rare breakthrough, scientists at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi have discovered a new species of deep-sea squid off the Arabian Sea – the only second species confirmed globally from the little-known genus Tanningia.
The new species, named Taningia silassi or Indian octopus squid, has been formally described in the international journal Marine Biodiversity.
This specimen was collected from a depth of about 390 meters off the Kollam coast.
Measuring 45 cm in dorsal mantle length, the squid belongs to the family Octoputeuthidae, whose adult members notably lack tentacles, unlike most squid species.
Despite being a squid, its octopus-like appearance, with eight arms and no long feeding tentacles, has earned it the name “octopus squid”.
The research team was led by CMFRI Principal Scientist Geeta Sasikumar and Technical Officer Sajikumar KK.
“We have been studying cephalopods in the Arabian Sea for more than a decade, but this ‘octopus squid’ was different from anything we had seen before,” Geeta said.
Until now, Taningia danae, found in the Atlantic Ocean, was the only known species of the genus.
DNA barcoding revealed more than 11 percent genetic divergence within the Atlantic species, scientifically confirming it as a distinct species.
Sajikumar said members of this species are also notable for their ability to grow to enormous sizes, with Taningia danae being recorded up to 2.3 meters in length and weighing more than 61 kilograms.
The newly discovered species is named in honor of the late EG Silas, pioneer marine biologist, former Director of CMFRI and former Vice-Chancellor of Kerala Agricultural University, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cephalopod research in India.
Shijin Ameri and Toji Thomas, both researchers at CMFRI, were also part of the search team.
About 400 squid species have been identified worldwide, inhabiting environments ranging from shallow coastal waters to deep deep-sea trenches.
This new discovery adds significant scientific value to India’s deep sea biodiversity research and provides new insights into the evolutionary diversity of squid.
–IANS
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