(Linné, 1758)
Description:
Difficult to distinguish from Alloteuthis subulata. Arms and tentacles tend to be proportionately more slender, but the chief characteristic by which the two species are separated is the lateral mantle edge, which in A. media extends obliquely posteriorly between the dorsal and ventral margins. Adults have a short tail (less than 10 mm). Fin length with tail included is less than a half of mantle length. Club is wide, diameter of the largest club suckers is 9-14 % of the width of head. Pairs of central club suckers are attached almost perpendicular to the club axis.
Distribution:
From the southern part of the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and Cape Blanc. In view of taxonomic difficulties with this species and Alloteuthis subulata , the species are now mapped together (Distr. A. media).