Kochi, Nov. 22 -- Scientists at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) have identified a new species of deep-sea squid from the Arabian Sea-only the second confirmed species belonging to the globally rare genus Taningia.
The newly discovered species has been named Taningia silasii (Indian octopus squid) and formally described in the international journal Marine Biodiversity.
Collected from a depth of nearly 390 metres off the Kollam coast, the specimen measures 45 cm in dorsal mantle length. It belongs to the family Octopoteuthidae, a group of deep-sea squids notable for lacking the characteristic long tentacles present in most other squid species.
The discovery was made by a CMFRI team led by Principal Scientist Dr...