de Blainville, 1827
Description:
Body elongate-oval, maximum mantle length 80 mm. Dorsal anterior mantle edge produced as an acute lobe extending between eyes.
Fins are starting a small distance from the anterior edge of the mantle, they are not exceeding mantle’s front edge and not widening posteriorly.
Arms are short, comprising less than half combined length of head and arms; with two rows of suckers.
Club suckers are conspicuously unequal, in central part of club there are three enormously large suckers.
Internal shell with lanceolate outline and very small spine, which is rather like a small calcareous ridge than a true spine. Shell width in males 23-33 %, in females 26-35 % of the shell length. Posterior part of the shell is greatly narrowed close to rounded posterior end.
Habitat:
Similar habitats to Sepia officinalis : shallow sublittoral, and offshore to 250 m.
Distribution:
From western Scotland and the English Channel (drifting shells may reach the North Sea) to northern Namibia and the entire Mediterranean Sea (Distr. S. elegans).