Post-spawning egg care by a squid.
Gonatus onyx is one of the most abundant cephalopods in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and is an important prey species for a variety of vertebrate predators, but a full understanding of its life history has been hampered because spawning occurs at great depths, where observation is difficult. Here we describe post-spawning egg care, or brooding, in this deep-sea squid. Our finding is unexpected because this behaviour differs from the reproductive habits of all other known squid species.
Seibel
Brad A
BA
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039, USA. seibel@uri.edu
Robison
Bruce H
BH
Haddock
Steven H D
SH
D000818:Animals; D049832:Decapodiformes / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D010063:Ovum / Q000254:growth & development*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D015053:Zygote / Q000254:growth & development