(Steenstrup, 1856)
Mantle almost globular in larvae, oval in juveniles, spindle-shaped, acuminate behind in adults. On anterior-ventral side of mantle 4 hyaline divergent stripes in the shape of an inverted V, bearing cartilaginous tubercles, long (to mid-mantle) in juveniles, relatively shorter in adults. Another similar strip along dorsal midline of mantle over gladius, reaching anterior end of fin. Head narrow, eyes not stalked, even in larvae, large, round in adults. Fins petaloid in larvae, resembling a horizontal figure 8 in juveniles, in adults oval or almost round, extending far beyond mantle end and fused here. Arms rather short, particularly in larvae and juveniles, 3rd arms longest. Tentacles long, fixing apparatus stretched along stalk up to its middle, club with 4 rows of suckers. Tentacles autotomized in mature females. Funnel valve present. 14 round eye photophores: 6 in a ring around pupil, 7+1 in an arc on ventral side. Large elongated photophore on ends of 3rd arms in maturing and mature females. In males one of 4th arms hectocotylized, ends of 3rd arms modified. Color light-yellow or brown, larvae and juveniles semitransparent. ML up to 20-25 cm.
Larvae distinguishable by tubercles on hyaline stripes but not on body, developed in larvae on ventral side at ML approx. 4-6 mm, on dorsal side at 8 mm. Outer and inner eyeball photophores formed at ML approx. 8 and 12 mm, respectively.
One species in the Atlantic Ocean.