D. gigas is the largest of the ommastrephids reaching a weight of approximately 50kg and a mantle length of 1.2 m (Nigmatullin et al., 2001). It is known only from the Eastern Pacific.
Watch a video of D. gigas off California

Brief diagnosis:

An ommastrephid ...

• with elongate, whip-like arm tips in subadults; arms with 100-200 pairs of suckers.

Biology/Natural History: This species is a diurnal vertical migrator from warm waters. It is only occasionally seen along our coast.

Ramos-Castillejos et al. (2010) examined the paralarvae of this species off the west coast of Baja California. The paralarvae are very similar in morphology to those of Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis. However, Ramos-Castillejos et al. found several size metrics in which the paralarvae differed. Paralarvae of Dosidicus gigas also had no intestinal photophores.

As with other squid, this pelagic cephalopod has 8 arms plus two tentacles (the arms taper to the end, while the tentacles have a wider, flattened "club" region near the tip). The suckers are on pedicels (stalked) (photo), and the suckers on the tentacles may contain hooks (photo). The body is elongated and has fins. Has an internal, flexible skeletal gladius ("pen"). As a member of Order Teuthoidea, they eye is covered with a transparent membrane, the tentacle clubs (expanded ends of the tentacles) are narrow, and the tentacles do not retract into pockets. The arms are long and angular in cross section (photo); the ventral pair of arms are longer and broader than the others. The left ventral arm of the male is a hectocotyl. The mantle is elongated (much longer than wide). This species is very large in size (mantle length up to 150 cm), and the mantle is smooth. The fins attached to the mantle are triangular, less than half as long as the mantle, and are attached along their full length. The tentacle clubs have only suckers (no hooks) (photo). The suckers are found on less than half the total length of the two longest arms or the tentacles.

1. Arms
   1. Arm tips attenuate, becoming whip-like in subadults; arms I with 60 to >200 pairs of suckers. Other members of the subfamily have less than 35 pairs (Wormuth, 1976).
      
   2. Trabeculae of dorsal protective membranes on arms project well beyond membrane.
      
   3. Ventral protective membrane of arms III narrow, not greater than arm width.
   4. Hecto - Medial pores variable, perhaps depending on stage of hectocotylus development; pores may be last structures to develop (Wormuth, 1975).
      
      
      

      Figure. Dorsal view of the tip of the hectocotylus of D. gigas. Drawing from Roeleveld (1988).

   
   

   Figure. Oral view of the base of arm II of D. gigas. Drawing from Pfeffer (1912).
   

   
   

   Figure. Oral of portions of the whip-like tip of arm II of D. gigas. Left - distal tip. Middle - Middle part. Right - Area where proximal arm grades into whip-like portion. Drawings from Pfeffer (1912).
   
2. Tentacles
   1. Largest club suckers with small pointed teeth and one large pointed tooth in each quadrant.
   2. Club with 49-58 rows of suckers. Other members of the subfamily have 40 or fewer rows (Wormuth, 1976).
   3. Carpal locking apparatus with smooth-ringed locking suckers extending further proximally on tentacle than normal toothed suckers (Wormuth, 1976).
      
      
3. Head
   1. Beaks: Descriptions can be found here: Lower beak; upper beak.
      
   2. Funnel groove with foveola and side pockets.
      
      
      

      Figure. Anterior funnel groove of D. gigas, 118 cm ML.Drawing from Berry (1912).
      

4. Funnel
   1. Mantle component of the locking-apparatus with anterior bifurcation. A full description of the funnel/mantle locking apparatus can be seen here.
      
   

   Figure. Funnel/mantle locking apparatus of D. gigas. Photographs by R. Young.
   

5. Photophores
   1. Small subcutaneous photophores on ventral surfaces of mantle, head and arms III-IV (Wormuth, 1976).
   2. Single ocular and two intestinal photophores present in juveniles between 12-15 and 100-140 mm ML (Nigmatullin et al., 2001).
      

East Pacific

Dosidicus gigas, otherwise known as the Humboldt or jumbo squid, inhabits the Eastern Pacific Ocean from northern California to southern Chile. This squid is believed to have both small scale migration within the Gulf of California, from the Baja peninsula to Guaymas Basin. It may also have a large scale migration as part of its life cycle, but little about their large scale migration is known.

In the past, Dosidicus gigas was only rarely spotted off of central California, but evidence now indicates that this squid has expanded its range northward through California following El Nino events which warmed northern waters. Humboldt squid have been spotted as far north as Alaska. Similarly, it has also expanded its range to southern Chile during warm water intrusions.

Biogeographic Regions: pacific ocean (Native )

Geographical Range: This species is common much farther south. Several times in the past decade, however (e.g. 2004, 2008), large numbers of individuals have appeared off the Washington Coast and as far north as Kodiak, Alaska. Johnson and Snook give the range as Monterey, CA to San Diego.

Eastern Pacific Ocean from 26°S to mid-Baja, California with occasional north and south expansions. Presently from about 60°N to 47°S.

Dosidicus gigas is the largest squid in the family Ommastrephidae. These squid can weigh up to 50kg and have a mantle length of up to 2m. This species, like other squid, move via jet propulsion by moving water through their mantle as well as by fin movement.

Dosidicus gigas has a long and thick mantle, tentacles containing 100-200 hooked suckers each, and a powerful beak to tear through prey. They also have well developed eyes, and chromatophore cells like other cephalopods, which allow the squid to change color and flash to communicate. Their nickname "red devil" comes from the fact that when caught by fisherman and brought to the surface, these squid turn a bright red color.

Range mass: 50 (high) kg.

Range length: 2 (high) m.

Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger

How to Distinguish from Similar Species: The opalescent or common Pacific squid Doryteuthis opalescens is more common in California shallow waters but is smaller (mantle length to 19 cm). The North Pacific Giant Squid Moroteuthis robusta also grows very large (up to 230 cm mantle length) but the mantle contains many fine longitudinal ridges and the fins are attached along more than half the mantle length. The tentacle clubs have 15-18 pairs of hooks in two rows along with the suckers. It is also oceanic but occasionally washes up on our shores. The only cephalopod this large commonly seen near Washington shores is the Pacific Giant Octopus, Enteroctopus dofleini, which has only 8 arms, does not have the elongated mantle nor mantle fins, and spends much of its time benthically.

neritic to oceanic, epi- to mesopelagic

Dosidicus gigas occupies vast habitat that ranges in depths from >250m during the day to near surface depths at night. This diel migration, or vertical migration between the day and night, is also characteristic of many prey species of Dosidicus gigas, so it is thought that the squid performs this vertical migration in order to follow its prey.

Although waters around and below 250 meters deep are often relatively hypoxic, Dosidicus gigas can apparently tolerate the low dissolved oxygen levels by suppressing its rate of oxygen consumption.

The squid can also migrate horizontally and travel up to 100 kilometers in a 3 to 4 day period, making it capable of long distance migrations.

Range depth: 0 to 700 m.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; saltwater or marine

Aquatic Biomes: pelagic ; coastal

Depth range based on 1 specimen in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 1 sample.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 15 - 15
  Temperature range (°C): 26.016 - 26.016
  Nitrate (umol/L): 3.614 - 3.614
  Salinity (PPS): 33.403 - 33.403
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.564 - 4.564
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.459 - 0.459
  Silicate (umol/l): 3.276 - 3.276
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth Range: 0-1200 m

Habitat: Oceanic

Dosidicus gigas is an active predator and pursues its prey. It uses suckers on its tentacles to capture prey animals and bring them towards its beak. Juveniles eat copepods and pelagic shrimp, and as Dosidicus gigas grows, its diet shifts more towards fish and other cephalopods. During their nightly vertical migration to the surface waters, adult Dosidicus gigas feed mainly on lanternfish, but will feed on a variety of other pelagic species including other fish, squids, and octopuses. Adults have been known to eat juveniles of their own species.

Animal Foods: fish; mollusks; aquatic crustaceans; other marine invertebrates; zooplankton

Primary Diet: carnivore (Piscivore , Eats non-insect arthropods, Molluscivore )

Dosidicus gigas is a large and abundant pelagic species, and can play a very important role both as food for predators and as a mid-level carnivore. The species has very high reproductive potential, and when conditions are right, populations of the species can increase very fast.

There are also 9-12 parasitic worm species (trematodes, nematodes and cestodes) that infect the larval Dosidicus gigas, as well as a type of ciliate parasite genus found in this squid.

Commensal/Parasitic Species:

• Chromidina (a ciliate protozoan)

Juvenile Dosidicus gigas are preyed upon by juvenile carnivorous fishes, including small tunas, other squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis) and gulls. Once they reach 150mm to around 250mm in length, they start to become preyed upon by dorado, large tunas (and related species), as well as large sharks, swordfish and striped marlins, fur seals, sperm whales and short-finned pilot whales.

Dosidicus gigas can alter its coloration to match its environment, and squirt ink from its ink sac in order to confuse or temporarily blind would-be predators. This squid has been known to “fly” by propelling themselves out of the water to escape attack.

Known Predators:

• sperm whales (Physeter catodon)
• Juan Fernandez fur seals (Arctocephalus philippii)
• Guadalupe fur seals (Arctocephalus townsendi)
• Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis
• dorado (Coryphaena hippurus)
• swordfish (Xiphias gladius)
• striped marlins (Tetrapturus audax)
• sharks
• short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus)

Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic

Like most other cephalopods, Dosidicus gigas has an extremely advanced eye and has chromatophores in the skin. Because they can travel in groups of up to 1200 individuals, they use visual cues to interact with one another. On possible example in Dosidicus gigas is that individuals can make their entire body flash red, apparently when angered or irritated. This warns nearby organisms that the individual is aggressive enough to attack if provoked. Dosidicus gigas uses its tentacles to feel something that it is curious about, such as a human diver.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile

Other Communication Modes: photic/bioluminescent ; mimicry

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; chemical

Dosidicus gigas has direct development and grows very quickly; its lifespan is only about one year. The embryo develops for 6-9 days then hatches into a paralarval stage called a rhynchoteuthion when it is about 1mm. This paralarva (1-10mm mantle length) is distinguished by having its two tentacles fused into a proboscis, and survives in the upper planktonic layer. There it grows to become a juvenile (15-100mm mantle length). The juvenile then morphs into a subadult (150-350mm mantle length) before finally developing into an adult. During these developmental stages, the morphology and feeding habits of the squid changes.

Growth is fastest during the first four months of development. Dosidicus gigas has the highest juvenile development rates of all of the squid in its family. Juveniles can obtain a mantle length of up to 100mm by 45-55 days old.

Hatchlings are 1.1 mm ML and lack photophores. Life span is about one year based on the assumption that statolith increments are daily and this is supported by cohort analysis using length-frequency distributions although the largest specimens may exceed a year. A 770 mm ML male had 352 increments and a 860 mm ML female had 338 increments. Paralarvae and juveniles grow 5-8% in ML per day reaching 100-110 mm ML in 45-55 days. (Nigmatullin et al., 2001). Off Peru, Argüelles et al (2001), using statolith increments found the maximum age found was 354 days for a 855 mm ML male and 344 days for a 965 mm female.

Nigmatullin et al. (2001) suggest that the population consists of three groups based on size: 1) Small - males become mature at 130-260 mm ML and females at 140-340 mm ML; 2) Medium - males become mature at 240-420 mm ML and females at 280-600 mm ML; 3) Large - males become mature at 400-500 mm ML and females between 550-600 and 1000-1200 mm ML. The Small group is found predominately in and near the equatorial area, the Medium group is found throughout the whole range except at extremely high latitudes, and the Large group is found the the northern and southern peripheral regions. Off Peru, Argüelles et al (2001) found two size groups, small (<490 mm ML) and large (>520 mm ML).

The longevity of this squid is about one year on average. Larger individuals can live up to 2 years. In captivity, captured Humboldt squid rarely live past a few days.

Range lifespan

Status: wild: 2 (high) years.

Average lifespan

Status: wild: 1 years.

Average lifespan

Status: wild: 1 years.

Dosidicus gigas only has one reproductive cycle during their lifetime, so they are known as monocyclic. Squids mate in a head to head position. Fertilization takes place inside the female. The two squids intertwine tentacles and the male places its spermatophores inside the buccal (oral) membrane of the female.

Because these squid spend much of their time below 250m, details about courtship is unknown, but sometimes mating has been observed at or near the surface. Given their well-developed brain, eyes, and chromatophore arrays, it's likely that some kind of courtship displays and behavior occur in this species, but it has not been documented.

Dosidicus gigas is believed to have only one reproductive cycle during their lifetime. Squids mate in a head to head position. Fertilization takes place inside the female. The two squids intertwine tentacles and the male places its spermatophores inside the buccal (oral) membrane of the female.

Females produce floating egg masses protected by a layer of jelly. The only documented mass found in the wild contained an estimated 0.6-2.0 million eggs (Staaf et alia, 2008). Examination of gravid females suggests that each female can produce 3-20 such masses.

Based on collections of newly hatched individuals, spawning is believed to occurs throughout the year, with peaks from October through January in the Southern Hemisphere.

Breeding season: Spawning season varies by locality

Range number of offspring: 5,000,000 to 32,000,000.

Average number of offspring: 1,200,000.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 184 to 395 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 236 days.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 196 to 276 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 219 days.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous ; sperm-storing

While fertilization occurs inside the female, once she lays the loose jelly-like egg batch there is no further parental investment.

Parental Investment: no parental involvement; precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning)

Organic composite is exceptionally robust: jumbo squid
 

The beaks of jumbo squid have exceptional hardness and stiffness in part thanks to high cross-linking density between its chitin and protein contents.

     
  "The hard tissues found in some invertebrate marine organisms represent intriguing paradigms for robust, lightweight materials. The present study focuses on one such tissue: that comprising the beak of the jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas). Its main constituents are chitin fibers (15–20 wt.%) and histidine- and glycine-rich proteins (40–45%). Notably absent are mineral phases, metals and halogens. Despite being fully organic, beak hardness and stiffness are at least twice those of the most competitive synthetic organic materials (notably engineering polymers) and comparable to those of Glycera and Nereis jaws. Furthermore, the combination of hardness and stiffness makes the beaks more resistant to plastic deformation when in contact with blunt abrasives than virtually all metals and polymers. The 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine and abundant histidine content in the beak proteins as well as the pigmented hydrolysis-resistant residue are suggestive of aromatic cross-linking. A high cross-linking density between the proteins and chitin may be the single most important determinant of hardness and stiffness in the beak. Beak microstructure is characterized by a lamellar arrangement of the constituents, with a weak interface that promotes crack deflection and endows the structure with high fracture toughness. The susceptibility of this microstructure to cracking along these interfaces from contact stresses at the external surface is mitigated by the presence of a protective coating." (Miserez et al. 2006:139)
  Learn more about this functional adaptation.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


There are 18 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.


Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 29
Specimens with Barcodes: 31
Species With Barcodes: 1

Dosidicus gigas is not a species of concern and appears to be expanding its range.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

The food demands of Dosidicus gigas, puts them in competition with humans for some commercially harvested fish or other squid. With climate change occurring and shifting their range, Dosidicus gigas may begin to affect fish stocks in the northern Pacific.

These squid are large enough to be a potential danger to human divers.

Negative Impacts: injures humans (bites or stings)

The Dosidicus gigas fishery is one of the largest fisheries in the Central Eastern Pacific (measured by annual tonnage caught), and is the largest cephalopod fishery in the world.

Dosidicus gigas is useful for a wide variety of research. For example, the apparent change in the distribution of this species is useful for climate change studies. The squid is also food for many recreational and commercial fisheries like tunas and billfishes.

Positive Impacts: food