Brief Squid

Lolliguncula brevis

The brief squid is a small, free-swimming mollusk with:

• Several arm-like tentacles extending from the head.
• An internal shell that helps support the squid's soft body,
• Large eyes.
• Dark spots on the body that contract and expand to change the squid's color.

Where does the brief squid live?

Brief squid schools can be found in the middle and lower Bay, as far north as Tangier Sound. Squid move by ejecting jets of water that propel them forward or backward.

What does the brief squid eat?

Brief squid feed on bottom-dwelling crustaceans and small fish or fish larvae.

How does the brief squid reproduce?

Brief squid have separate sexes. Females lay gelatinous, yolky egg masses, which hatch into tiny, fully formed young squid.

Other facts about the brief squid:

• The brief squid is the only cephalopod found in the Bay. Cephalopods (meaning “head-foot”) are a type of mollusk with an internal shell.
• When under threat by a predator, squid shoot themselves backward with lightning speed. They may also emit an ink cloud to distract predators.