Oceanic squids reach the higher cephalopod biomass worldwide and their fishery represents 51% of the total world cephalopod captures (FAO 2010). However, present knowledge of their embryonic and larval stages is very poor.The present project aims to obtain the laboratory methods needed to study their embryonic and paralarval development under experimental conditions and known their morphology and behaviour as far as possible.

Embryos and paralarvae are obtained in laboratory using wild collected mature squids, and in vitro fertilization techniques. The main challenge of this research project is the culture of oceanic squid paralarvae. The attainment of this objective would allow the study under controlled conditions of the growth, behaviour and morphologic adaptations to the environment of oceanic squid paralarvae and will open possibilities for their mariculture.

The family Ommastrephidae, the most important fishery resource of oceanic squid, has been selected to develop this study. The species selected are Illex coindetii, Todarodes sagittatus and Todaropsis eblanae, the main ommastrephid species fished in European waters. Also, the samples of ommastrephid paralarvae collected during recent oceanographic cruises are analyzed in comparison with the cultured material.The CALOCEAN project is developed at the Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain. The project began in January 2010 and will end in December 2012. The principal investigator (PI) is Roger Villanueva.

This research project is funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain ("Estudio del desarrollo embrionario y larvario de calamares oceánicos de interés pesquero”; grant number  AGL200-11546).

Last updated on: 24th of April 2012