Ecology Summary - Onychoteuthis banksii

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Ecology of Onychoteuthis banksii

Main Ref.	Schneider, W., 1990
Remarks	Oceanic, eurythermal, meso- and epipelagic species that occurs from the surface to 150 m depth and as deep as 4, 000 m. A schooling species frequently observed "flying" above the surface to escape predators in pursuit. Very dense muscular structure and high respiration rates confirm it is a fast-swimming, slow-growing species. Paralarvae are abundant in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, particularly from January to March. Spent females have severely degenerated muscular tissue of head, mantle, fins, as well as missing tentacles, so that they appear almost gelatinous. Prey consists of fishes and squids. Predators include giant red shrimp, fishes, e.g. albacore, yellowfin tuna, lancetfish, swordfish, tiger shark, smooth hammerhead shark, spinner, Frasier’s striped and Risso’s dolphins, toothed whales and fur seals (Ref. 97142).

Main Ref.

Schneider, W., 1990

Remarks

Oceanic, eurythermal, meso- and epipelagic species that occurs from the surface to 150 m depth and as deep as 4, 000 m. A schooling species frequently observed "flying" above the surface to escape predators in pursuit. Very dense muscular structure and high respiration rates confirm it is a fast-swimming, slow-growing species. Paralarvae are abundant in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, particularly from January to March. Spent females have severely degenerated muscular tissue of head, mantle, fins, as well as missing tentacles, so that they appear almost gelatinous. Prey consists of fishes and squids. Predators include giant red shrimp, fishes, e.g. albacore, yellowfin tuna, lancetfish, swordfish, tiger shark, smooth hammerhead shark, spinner, Frasier’s striped and Risso’s dolphins, toothed whales and fur seals (Ref. 97142).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Onychoteuthis banksii may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Pelagic;
Substrate Ref.	Hochberg, F.G. and Y.E. Camacho-García, 2009
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper, 2010
Associations	schooling;
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper, 2010
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper, 2010

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	3.79	0.44			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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