In situ measurements of reef squid polarization patterns using two-dimensional polarization data mapped onto three-dimensional tessellated surfaces

Reef squids belong to a group reputed for polarization sensitivity, yet polarization patterns of reef squid have not been quantified in situ . To quantify polarization patterns from video polarimetric data, we developed a protocol to map two-dimensional polarization data onto squid-shaped three-dimensional tessellated surfaces. This protocol provided a robust data container used to investigate three-dimensional regions-of-interest, producing data lineouts derived from the squid's geometry. This protocol also extracted polarimeter and squid body orientations and the solar heading from polarization images. When averaged over the solar heading, the ventral midline gave a low degree of polarization (2.4 ± 5.3%), and the area between the ventral and flank midlines had higher values (9.0 ± 5.3%). These averaged data had a large discontinuity in the angle of polarization (AoP) at the mantle's ventral midline (64 ± 55°), with larger discontinuities measured on individual squid. Ray-tracing calculations demonstrated that the AoP pattern was not related to the squid's surface-normal geometry. However, the AoP followed virtual striation axes on the squid's surface oriented 24° to the squid's long axis, similar in angle (27°) to the striations of birefringent collagen fibres documented in other squid species’ skin.

Antioxidant activity of extract from some squid species in Khanh Hoa

The antioxidant activities against DPPH free radical of crude extracts using ethyl acetate and methanol from ink sac, muscles, and bones of 5 squid species (Uroteuthis chinensis, Uroteuthis sibogae, Uroteuthis duvaucelii, Sepia esculenta, Sepioteuthis lessoniana) collected in Khanh Hoa waters were investigated. These activities ranged from 4.21% (ethyl acetate extract from ink of U. chinensis) to 54.51% (methanol extract from muscle of S. esculenta.). The functional group analysis by infrared adsorption spectrum (FTIR) in these crude extracts revealed the absorption peaks of melanin in ink, polysaccharide in bone and protein in muscle extracts. In addition, the SDS-PAGE result of some methanol extracts showed the presence of proteins with a molecular weight of 30-150 kDa.

Insights into the role of deep-sea squids of the genus Histioteuthis (Histioteuthidae) in the life cycle of ascaridoid parasites in the Central Mediterranean Sea waters

Ascaridoid nematodes comprise a wide range of heteroxenous parasites infecting top fish predators and marine mammals as definitive hosts, with crustaceans, squids, and fishes acting as intermediate/paratenic hosts. Limited data exist on the species and role of several intermediate and paratenic hosts in the life cycle of these parasites. In the aim of adding knowledge on the role of squid species in their life cycle, we have here investigated the larval ascaridoid nematodes collected from the deep-sea umbrella squid Histioteuthis bonnelli and the reverse jewel squid Histioteuthis reversa captured in the Central Mediterranean Sea (Tyrrhenian Sea). Morphological study and sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 (mtDNA cox2) gene locus revealed the occurrence of Anisakis physeteris and of an unidentified species of the genus Lappetascaris. Sequence analysis revealed that specimens of Lappetascaris from both squid species matched at 100% sequences previously deposited in GenBank from larval ascaridoids collected in octopuses of the genus Eledone of the Mediterranean Sea. The Bayesian inference tree topology obtained from the analysis of the fragments amplified showed that Lappetascaris specimens were included in a major clade comprising Hysterothylacium species collected in fishes of the families Xiphiidae and Istiophoridae. As regards the site of infection in the squid host species, A. physeteris larvae predominated (60.7%) in the gonads, while those of Lappetascaris (76.3%) were found infecting the mantle musculature. The overall high values of parasitic load suggest both squid species as transmitting hosts of third stage larvae of Lappetascaris to top predator fishes, as well as the umbrella squid as an intermediate/paratenic host in the life cycle of A. physeteris in the Mediterranean Sea.

A description of three new bathyteuthid squid species from the North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

Currently, three species in the squid family Bathyteuthidae are recognized as valid: Bathyteuthis abyssicola Hoyle, 1885, Bathyteuthis bacidifera Roper, 1968, and Bathyteuthis berryi Roper, 1968. Using morphology and DNA sequencing (COI, 16S), we discovered three additional species of bathyteuthids collected from the North Atlantic Ocean and adjacent basins between 2009 and 2018. Two of the newly discovered species share the absence of arm-base photophores as well as differences in arm-sucker and buccallappet sucker counts. In the third species, the adult female individual has arm-base photophores but the two juveniles (sex undetermined) do not. All examined individuals of this species exhibited <1% divergence rate for the COI locus. We describe and name the three new species based on both morphological and molecular characters.

Squid Species Matching using Fuzzy Edge Based Algorithm

In the area of Commercial species identification, Squids species identification is significant because Squids plays an important role in Marine food chain. The identification of Squid species requires information about their morphometric features. Body shape feature is one of the important morphometric features for Squids. Hence, we consider only shape feature of Squid. Edge detection is an important technique to extract the shape feature for Squid images. Squid images contains uncertainty because of the problems occurs in the data acquisition and its complex structure. Hence, to avoid above mentioned uncertainties occurs in the Squid images consider Fuzzy edge map. In this work Fuzzy Edge Based Retrieval Algorithm is proposed for the query based Squid image retrieval from Squid’s database. In the process of Fuzzy Edge Based Retrieval Algorithm, first Fuzzy Edge map is constructed for Squid images later the Euclidian distance similarity measure performs between Query image and the candidate images in the Squids database. Based on the similarity metric the relevant Squid images are matched with query image are retrieved. The performance of proposed algorithm analysed with precision recall graphs.

Using Colonization Assays and Comparative Genomics To Discover Symbiosis Behaviors and Factors in Vibrio fischeri

ABSTRACT The luminous marine Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio (Aliivibrio) fischeri is the natural light organ symbiont of several squid species, including the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, and the Japanese bobtail squid, Euprymna morsei. Work with E. scolopes has shown how the bacteria establish their niche in the light organ of the newly hatched host. Two types of V. fischeri strains have been distinguished based upon their behavior in cocolonization competition assays in juvenile E. scolopes, i.e., (i) niche-sharing or (ii) niche-dominant behavior. This study aimed to determine whether these behaviors are observed with other V. fischeri strains or whether they are specific to those isolated from E. scolopes light organs. Cocolonization competition assays between V. fischeri strains isolated from the congeneric squid E. morsei or from other marine animals revealed the same sharing or dominant behaviors. In addition, whole-genome sequencing of these strains showed that the dominant behavior is polyphyletic and not associated with the presence or absence of a single gene or genes. Comparative genomics of 44 squid light organ isolates from around the globe led to the identification of symbiosis-specific candidates in the genomes of these strains. Colonization assays using genetic derivatives with deletions of these candidates established the importance of two such genes in colonization. This study has allowed us to expand the concept of distinct colonization behaviors to strains isolated from a number of squid and fish hosts. IMPORTANCE There is an increasing recognition of the importance of strain differences in the ecology of a symbiotic bacterial species and, in particular, how these differences underlie crucial interactions with their host. Nevertheless, little is known about the genetic bases for these differences, how they manifest themselves in specific behaviors, and their distribution among symbionts of different host species. In this study, we sequenced the genomes of Vibrio fischeri isolated from the tissues of squids and fishes and applied comparative genomics approaches to look for patterns between symbiont lineages and host colonization behavior. In addition, we identified the only two genes that were exclusively present in all V. fischeri strains isolated from the light organs of sepiolid squid species. Mutational studies of these genes indicated that they both played a role in colonization of the squid light organ, emphasizing the value of applying a comparative genomics approach in the study of symbioses.